Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division One London Colney 8 Brache Sparta 0 THE Blueboys ended the year in the best possible fashion with an 8-0 demolition of bottom-of-the-table Brache Sparta. In truth Colney could and should have won by more, ha

Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division One

London Colney 8

Brache Sparta 0

THE Blueboys ended the year in the best possible fashion with an 8-0 demolition of bottom-of-the-table Brache Sparta.

In truth Colney could and should have won by more, having led 6-0 at the interval.

The hosts took control straight from the kick off, with Dean Barker going close and then Sam Mitchell seeing his cross-cum-shot saved by Brache goalkeeper James Smith.

Gary Simmonds then set up Greg Shaw whose shot was pushed behind for a corner. The Blueboys broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, following a short corner routine between Danny McCafferty and Jack Rowley that found Mitchell racing in and he glanced his header past Smith.

Colney doubled their lead three minutes later when Mitchell and Barker put the Brache defence under pressure and the ball broke for the latter to send a perfect chip over Smith from 25 yards out. Smith was injured in his attempt to stop the ball and after a period of treatment he was replaced.

Mitchell went close with a header at the far post after a good cross from Shaw and both Rowley and Barker saw their low drives saved.

The Blueboys made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark when Dave Corran's low effort evaded Mark Hartley and nestled inside the right-hand post.

The home side were now in devastating form and added a further three goals in the last five minutes of the first half. First, Barker was quickest to react when Lee Benning's cross came back off the bar, back heeling the ball over the line for his second. Then Corran's cross found Rowley and although his shot was saved there was nothing Brache could do about Simmonds' 18-yard piledriver as the Blueboys made it 5-0. Barker wrapped up his hat trick with a close-range header from a Corran cross.

It should have been seven when Mitchell found himself in the clear on the stroke of half time but he blasted his shot over the bar.

Brache Sparta started the second half looking to restore some pride and Adrian Fontanelle saw two well-struck shots saved by Alistair Hill. Hartley shot just wide and Andrew Juraszek hit the crossbar as Brache failed to find a way past Hill.

In between these efforts, Corran supplied another inviting cross but this time Barker's header brushed the top of the bar. Another McCafferty corner found Mitchell but his header went over the bar.

Simon Glass and Juraszek both had efforts go close for the visitors and at the other end, Corran's firm header was denied. Hill's long ball was knocked on by Barker to Russell Gallagher who raced clear of the defence but he drove his shot wide of the far post.

The Blueboys added their seventh on 76 minutes with the goal of the match. Barker burst into the box and crossed the ball to Simmonds who with one touch turned and drove the ball into the back of the net.

Colney scored their eighth with five minutes to go as Barker and Danny Fitzgerald combined to tee Gallagher up and, although he mishit his shot, it still squeezed under the 'keeper and over the line to seal a wonderful victory.

Crawley Green are the first visitors of 2009 to London Colney on Saturday, January 3. Kick off is 3pm.

London Colney: Hill, Benning, McCafferty, Rowley (Fitzgerald), Dickie, Humbert (Paradise), Shaw, Simmonds, Mitchell (Gallagher), Barker, Corran. Subs not used: Beschizza.