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And so to the final game of the season; Ajax United at home. With no defeats in the previous twenty-five league games, and only eleven goals conceded all season, there was still plenty at stake for Wulfs and they got out of the traps like a pack of rabid dogs.
Less than two minutes had elapsed when the deadlock was broken. Liam Evans hit a fine cross field pass into the path of Chip Southern who made good ground before hitting a cross-cum-shot to the far post for Noel Smith to tap in to the unguarded net.
A minute later they were on the attack again. Simon Hardle exchanged passes with Chip Southern before squaring for Nik Wooldridge who fired a first time shot just wide.
The relentless attacking didn't end there as Noel Smith almost doubled his tally before the lead was extended in the eighth minute. An Ajax corner was over hit to the far corner of the Wulfs penalty area where James Skedgel carried forward, exchanged passes with Liam Evans, and crossed in to the penalty area where the ball bounced up and struck an Ajax player on the hand. The skipper himself returned to his unflappable best to spank the resulting penalty into the bottom corner of the net.
The onslaught continued as Wulfs again went close when Chip Southern and Noel Smith exchanged passes allowing the young winger to cut the ball back from the by-line to Phil Gardner who was unlucky not to mark his full first XI debut with a goal when his effort was blocked on the line.
The third goal had to arrive and it did on seventeen minutes. Tim Tipton spotted the Ajax defence holding a high line and dropped the ball in behind them for Liam Evans to race on to before lobbing the ball over the keeper and on to the head of Noel Smith at the far post and he had the simple task of nodding in to the empty net.
Far from satisfied Wulfs continued to push forward and almost made it four on nineteen minutes. A long ball up field was headed square by Liam Evans in to the path of Simon Hardle who waardled past his marker before performing an exquisite left foot chip that landed just wide of the target.
After twenty minutes of near perfect attacking football it was time to consolidate before the second wave moved in at the start of the second half.
It was 4-0 on fifty-two minutes and it was vintage Hardle. Chip Southern found space down the right wing before cutting the ball across the face of goal. Liam Evans stretched but missed and the ball fell to the feet of Hardle, ten yards out with a defender directly in front of him. The football magician calmly scooped the ball over the head of his man with one foot before volleying home clinically with the other.
With the game secured it was time to unleash the beast that it Andrew Thompson in to the fray. His impact was almost immediate as he challenged to meet a Jason Scott corner, forcing his marker to head against the face of his own bar. The follow up from Nik Wooldridge was blazed over the bar.
Noel Smith, who had said he refused to leave the field before he had scored a hat-trick, finally got his just dessert but not before firing one shot wildly over the bar with just the keeper to beat. With fifteen minutes left on the clock a ball of the top from Wooldridge found Liam Evans who cut across goal for Smith to complete hat-trick of open goals from two yards out.
Further substitutions followed with Paul Tudor and Danny Tipton forming a formidable looking partnership up front, Andy Thompson moved back between the sticks and Tim Tipton and Noel Smith given well deserved rests. Drama ensued as Skelly took badly to the decision to move him in to goal and he cast his shirt to the floor in disgust. Skipper James Skedgel meted out some hefty blows after the game by way of retribution thus ensuring that Skelly never disrespects the shirt again.
With no forward line to speak of on the pitch Wulfs attacking options were decimated and, apart from one good bit of foraging by Danny Tipton, never looked like scoring again, especially as Tudor was caught offside virtually every time the ball was played forward.
So the unbeaten run stretched throughout the season and the defensive record of just eleven goals conceded will surely take some beating.
Final score: Old Wulfrunians 5 Ajax United 0.
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