Clapton CFC’s Men’s First Team produced a commanding display in front of a season’s-best crowd of 1057 to successfully navigate a tricky fixture against Hoddesdon Town.
With injuries piling up for CCFC, and Hoddesdon in a falsely poor position in the table, it looked like the proverbial potential banana skin.
However, we made a dream start with two goals in the first quarter of an hour to settle any nerves.
On 11 minutes, Cameron Gordon met an inviting near-post cross from Fred Taylor with a firm header to make it 1–0.
Minutes later, James Briggs doubled the advantage with a stunning trademark Briggsy free-kick from just outside the box.
Clapton continued to dominate, and their pressure paid off in the 36th minute when Azariah George-Lawal fired home through a crowded box following a corner to make it 3–0.
Just before half-time, Hoddesdon had a couple of golden chances to reduce the deficit, but one shot hit and the bar and the rebound blasted over, and another was poked wide.
In the second half, CCFC captain/keeper Jack Francis was called into action to make a vital save to deny a Hoddesdon counter, taking a knock in the process.
But Hoddesdon’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Fred Taylor fed Korahn Gayle, who unselfishly squared for Gordon to side-foot home his second of the afternoon on 71 minutes.
Gordon went close to a hat-trick late on, while Korahn Gayle almost bagged his first competitive goal for the first team from David Makisi’s perfect pass.
Hoddesdon did grab a late consolation on the break through Ben Clarke in stoppage time but it was a largely comfortable win for Clapton to keep us in the play-off chase.
Photos
