Roffey record emphatic win at bottom-of-the-table Mile Oak
Despite their league position Oak had contested tight games in all their previous home matches and Andy Lampard would have known they would have a battle on their hands.
With Callum Jardim unavailable and Dan Pearse and Jack Munday unwell, 17-year-old Hayden Jannels came into the squad and Harry Law returned from holiday.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt took a while for Roffey to get the measure of some long grass and a sloping pitch and Alfie Hadfield had to get down smartly to his right to deny the lively Mile Oak number nine.
But gradually the visitors pinned their hosts back and started to create chances. Jamie Wanstall beat the keeper but was denied by Karl Gillingham on the line. As was Tiago Andrade when Josh Maher pulled the ball back to him.
Aaron Stenning in the home goal made good saves from Josh Neathey and Devon Fender before Neathey missed his kick from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.
In the last minute of the half what looked like a stone wall penalty was not seen by the officials and the teams went in at 0-0.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut seven minutes after the restart Jamie Robinson got to the byline and put in a lovely cross for Andrade to cleverly glance inside the far post.
Rather than deflate the home side it appeared to spur them on and they enjoyed their best period of the game with several dangerous balls being cleared or dealt with by Hadfield and a fierce 20 yard drive coming back off the bar.
Then Law put Neathey through to finish clinically and the fight seemed to go out of the home side.
Substitute Chris Neatherway went past his man in the box and drilled home the third and then Andrade held the ball under pressure in the box to slip in Devon Fender for a slide rule finish into the far corner.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdJannels came on to make his first team debut for the last 10 minutes and certainly didn’t look out of place.
Given the number of chances Roffey had created, the result was no less than they deserved but they had been made to fight hard for much of the game.
This was Mile Oak’s heaviest home defeat and took Roffey’s goals scored tally to nine in two games.
Roffey travel to near neighbours Broadbridge Heath in the first round of the Sussex Senior Cup this (Tuesday) evening.