London Colney go top after back-to-back wins

SSML Division One

Sun Postal Sports 1

London Colney 4

LONDON Colney moved to the top of the Spartan South Midlands Division One table thanks to a 4-1 win at Sun Postal Sports.

Matt Newman netted a hat-trick and Jimmy Warner one to give Ryan Thompson’s Blueboys the win that saw them replace local rivals St Albans City Reserves at the top of the table.

Colney continue to play some fine attacking football and they opened the scoring when Newman sent Warner racing clear and the former Harpenden Town man beat on-rushing goalkeeper Sam Bridges with 18 minutes gone.

The Blueboys’ cause wasn’t helped by the dismissal of Mark Paradise just a minute later, the defender sent for an early bath for raising his elbow to an opponent.

Despite their numerical disadvantage Colney doubled their lead just before the break when Warner headed Kenny Hull’s free kick on to Newman who beat a defender and the ‘keeper before firing home.

The second half saw Sun Postal pull a goal back when Danny Fielding fired home from just inside the box but Colney soon restored their two goal advantage when Danny McCafferty squared the ball for Newman to tap home.

Newman then completed the scoring nine minutes from time. Andy Saul’s long ball out from the back was won by Newman who raced away from his marker and slotted the ball home to complete his personal treble.

Colney: Whittamore; Hull (Thompson), McCafferty, Saul, Paradise, Sutton, Hutchinson (Butler), Stevens, Newman, Warner (Knightley), Jowle.

* The Blueboys downed high-flying Tokyngton Manor 2-0 on Saturday.

The opening goal came on the stroke of half-time when Bruce Hutchinson surged down the left wing and crossed the ball in low for Warner whose touch came back off a defender and the ‘keeper before Newman blasted home.

Colney sealed the points early in the second half when Warner rose unchallenged to head home Hull’s free kick.

* The Reserves won 4-3 at Langford thanks to a Johnny Armitt hat-trick and Sebastian Thomas strike.