First half Lockett hat-trick gets job done for City

A Liam Lockett hat-trick in the first twenty-two minutes of Saturday’s Hellenic Premier Division fixture with Brimscombe & Thrupp, and a late Dylan Hart penalty were enough to secure a 4-1 win and chalk up City’s nineteenth consecutive win in all competitions.

Manager Chris Cornes had elected to make just a single change to the line-up that secured City’s first trophy in twenty-three years on Wednesday, with Chris Knight returning to the starting line-up in place of Kirk Layton. That meant that Kyonn Evans kept his place to lead the line for City despite the return of Dylan Hart to the squad, with Jamie Insall still absent.

Calvin Dinsley and Jordan Lymn continue their growing partnership in the middle of midfield in the absence of Connor Gater, and Elliott Hartley remained on the right of the front three.

It didn’t take long for Lockett, who had already netted twice against Brimscombe in each previous meeting this season, to get City off to a perfect start. He cut inside onto his right foot and drilled the ball into the top corner of the Brimscombe net, for what is becoming a real trademark of his this season.

Just five minutes later it was two, Lockett again picking up the ball but this time near the halfway line, driving forward and sitting two defenders down before sliding the ball past the keeper and into the back of Thrupp’s net. Barely fifteen minutes on the clock and City were cruising.

And by twenty-two, the points looked to be sealed. From a throw-in, Lockett let the ball run across his body before driving home from the edge of the area, sealing his hat-trick and seemingly the points for City.

Hartley and Belmonte both had opportunities to increase City’s lead before the break but Chris Cornes’ side went into half time level, and with the game fully under control.

Into the second half and City again shot out of the blocks, with each of Hartley, Lymn and Mace having good opportunities to increase the advantage. Kyonn Evans also had an excellent chance to bag his second of the season, but put his effort wide when clean through on goal.

But despite the dominance, it would be the home side who would be next on the scoresheet. Following an Elliott Keightley foul for which he was booked, from the resulting free kick Welch stepped up and from 25 yards, found the corner of Haydn Whitcombe’s goal to reduce the deficit for Brimscombe.

They could have got a second when minutes later they hit the inside of the post, a warning for City and Cornes then decided to ring the changes. Monteith and Hart entered the game in place of Dinsley and Evans, as like-for-like changes, with Townsend and Reid also introduced for Lockett and Belmonte shortly after.

With just over ten minutes remaining, Reid had an excellent chance to extend City’s lead, and when played through he poked the ball past the Brimscombe keeper before being brought down, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. Having been fouled, Reid stepped up to take the penalty, but it was saved by the keeper, diving to his left.