BELL INN 98 8, MORGAN AERO 8 2

captain Darren Cooke equalled the club scoring record with six goals as Bell Inn 98 secured their third win in four league games.

The Bell took to the field with an almost unchanged side from the week before. The only exception being the inclusion of Ben Ledbury in the starting line up at the expense of the injured Paul Fletcher.

A large and vocal crowd were expectant of goals and with a total of 55 in the Bell Inn's previous four matches they had a right to expect a goal feast.

The game, however, did not live up to expectations as both sides made heavy weather in a scrappy first half. The Bell looked like they were playing their fifth game of the day let alone the season!

However, it was the home side that took the lead when Cooke beat the Morgan's offside trap and tapped into an empty net having rounded the keeper in fine style.

This goal against the run of play spurred on the Morgan and they sprang into life and immediately hit back with a Ben Jones shot from 30 yards which flew in to the top corner.

Alan Berrow then put the away side in front after being brought down in the box by the unlucky Dave Haines. He calmly stepped up to give the Morgan a half time lead.

The Bell came out for the second half after a roasting from assistant manager, Mike Barnes, with all guns blazing and scored an incredible seven goals past the helpless Francis in the Morgan goal.

Cooke opened the scoring after 50 minutes as he tapped in after a great run and cross from Jim Argent.

His hat trick was completed minutes later when he lobbed Francis from the edge of the box.

Tony Reynolds then missed a penalty for the home side, but this did not matter as the Bell were rampant, and a further two goals by Cooke and a great 45 yard lob by Dave Brocklesby saw the score line rise to 6-2.

Reynolds made amends for his penalty miss by curling in a free kick from 35 yards over the wall and beyond the keeper in to the top corner of the net.

Then with just ten minutes left on the clock, Cooke latched onto a through ball to score his sixth goal and fifth tap-in of the game to equal the Bell Inn individual scoring record set by Mark Williams 13 years ago.

That day Williams actually ended up on the losing side but not so for man of the match Cooke as no further goals were added and the Bell ran out winners 8-2.

The game was sponsored by go4soccer.com

Next week the men from Bosbury are away to local rivals Fromes Hill in what promises to be yet another goal spectacle.

Players should meet either at the Bell at 9.45am or at the Wheatsheaf Inn at 10am.