Lowestoft Town 7 Wingate and Finchley 0

Att 348

Teams:-
Lowestoft Town: Jones, Williams, Gleeson (Haynes-Brown 68 mins), Gaughran, Smith, Jack Ainsley, Fisk, Okay, Eagle (Stuart Ainsley 68 mins), Frew, Reed (Doddingotn 74 mins)
Subs; Jarvis, Haynes-Brown, Stuart Ainsley, Doddington, Jessup

Wingate and Finchley: Cain Davies, Aisien, Street, NcGonigle, Weatherspoon, Rifat, Kennett (Hart 61 mins), McCall, Craig Davies (Bolle 59 mins), Sogbanmu, Tejan-Sei
Subs; Wright, Bolle, Read, Sharpe, Hart

Lowestoft Town put Saturday's disappointment firmly behind them with a 7-0 thrashing of Wingate and Finchley at the Crown Meadow.

Lowestoft went into the game with Henderson missing from the squad through illness and he was replaced in the starting line-up by Frew. Smith and Okay were also given starts, as Jarvis and Haynes-Brown dropped to the bench, which also contained the youth captain Doddington.

Prior to the match a minutes silence was held for Lowestoft supporter Garry Littlewood, who passed away suddenly last week. Garry's family were in attendance for the game and everyone at Lowestoft Town Football Club would like to pass on their condolences and prays to his family.

The match got underway with four travelling supporters sporting an excellent and humorous flag behind the goal, with the embossed words on it 'this is all we take away'.
It was a fairly quiet start to the match until the eighth minute, when following a Wingate corner the ball was sent back into the Lowestoft box from the left and a downward header had to be cleared off the line by Smith.
A Fisk ball found Eagle on the left for Lowestoft and with him sending a ball into the box a scramble ensued in the Wingate penalty area but it just wouldn't fall right for the blues. Moments later the game then swung to the other end as Wingate sent a long ball up to find Craig Davies and with him peeling off the Lowestoft defence, his shot across the deck was inches away from finding the inside of the far post, much to the relief of the home team.
The game was now settling and starting to pick up as the fifteen minute mark arrived and Eagle was starting to get some joy down the left, sending a number of balls into the Wingate area. It was from one of these forays forward by Eagle that led to Lowestoft putting some play together on the edge of the Wingate area and getting their opening goal. After some good play the ball came out of the Wingate defence but with Okay heading it down and back into the area, it fell nicely to allow Frew to latch onto it and finish well for 1-0 (20 mins). Lowestoft captain Gleeson had taken a knock to his head during this time and returned to the pitch with his head strapped up like Terry Butcher.
An Eagle corner was then glanced wide by Gaughran as Lowestoft looked to step it up a gear but then up the other end and from nowhere, a ball came in from the left by Wingate and with Sogbanmu having a free header, Jones could only watch it onto the post but luckily for the blues it rebounded back into play.
There have been a couple of occasions this season when Lowestoft have taken the lead in games, been on top but been unable to add to their goal tally and take the pressure off the game.
The blues were certainly looking in control but on this occasion they made sure to make it count, as they doubled their lead. A throw in by Smith landed at the feet of Eagle and with him then returning the ball to Smith, who was now at the by-line, the left back sent a lovely ball to the far post and with Jack Ainsley coming in on it, he powered a free header home for a well worked goal; 2-0 (27 mins).
Wingate to be fair had not come to sit back and were throwing numbers forward, with Craig Davies in particular looking lively and having to be stopped on one occasion by a solid tackle from Gaughran. A clipped ball over the top saw Craig Davies in the action again for the away side but this time his pulled back ball was cut out by Williams at the back for Lowestoft.
A ball into the area from Jack Ainsley saw Reed connect well with what was a difficult chance that flew over the bar, as halftime started to approach. It had been a fairly odd half of football with Lowestoft looking in control but Wingate not sitting back and intent on throwing bodies forward.
Following a Williams booking deep in the Lowestoft half, Fisk won possession back from the Wingate free-kick and with him pumping a ball forward, Reed outpaced the defender to win the ball and open up an exposed Wingate defence. He then powered to the by-line but unfortunately his pulled back ball was just behind Eagle; however it did then break kindly for Okay and with him setting himself it looked like he had found the top corner with a well placed effort but it hit the angle of the goal and came back into play.
Lowestoft were certainly ending the half in the ascendancy and with Eagle skipping down the right and going past two players, his shot was deflected over by a blocked challenge. It had been a good half for Lowestoft but they were still another half away from getting the job done, as they headed for the changing rooms.

The second half started with calls for a Wingate red card as the ball headed towards the Wingate area and Rifat stuck his hand up for a blatant handball but a booking was handed out and a sending off would have been extremely harsh, when no clear goal scoring opportunity was in the offing.
It didn't really matter though as Lowestoft took full advantage with the resulting free-kick, as the beautiful left foot of Smith bent it inside the far post for 3-0 (50 mins).
Lowestoft were now in full flow and following some good passing on the edge of the Wingate Area, Smith was found and with him already looking like he'd started to lose his balance, the defender made sure by nudging him over and helping the referee award a somewhat soft penalty. Jack Ainsley had scored a penalty against Hendon a couple of weeks ago and it was him who strode up with confidence again to bang the ball into the corner for his second and 4-0 to Lowestoft (53 mins).
Wingate reacted shortly after this with their first change but it was an odd change, as Craig Davies had looked lively for them. Kennett had also looked like a good player for them when seeing possession but he was also removed, as Wingate kept trying to play and get numbers forward.
Lowestoft were in no mood for pleasantries though, as they knew that goal difference in this league could end up being crucial. It was therefore no surprise when the team slipped it into overdrive and grabbed a fifth and sixth goal in quick succession. The fifth came with Frew feeding Reed and with the striker taking the ball in his path, he ran in on goal and drilled it under the keeper for 5-0 (62 mins). The sixth followed just a minute later and Frew was the provider yet again, this time releasing Jack Ainsley to calmly slot home his hatrick to increase the score to 6-0 (63 mins).
Lowestoft were now rampant and from a centred Jack Ainsley ball, Reed nearly snuck in a header for seven. Lowestoft were now well clear and already had the points in the bag, so changes were now the order of the day, as Haynes-Brown replaced Gleeson in defence and Stuart Ainsley took over from Eagle.
A brief and rare moment in the Lowestoft final third saw McCall lash one over from the edge of the area for Wingate but in truth it was all Lowestoft and they were now cruising along. Youth team captain Connor Doddington was the third and final change for Lowestoft, as Reed left the pitch to a warm round of applause from the Lowestoft faithful.
It was looking like Lowestoft were going to breeze over the finish line but in a rather apt way and with three minutes to go, Lowestoft made it seven heaven. Jack Ainsley was in possession down the right channel and with him delivering from the right, the defender really should have easily dealt with it but instead he totally missed it and a delighted Doddington was at hand right in front of goal to stick it through the legs of the keeper for 7-0 (87 mins).
The final moments of the game were seen out by Lowestoft and it had been the perfect response to the match on Saturday, with three points secured, their goal difference boosted and their twentieth clean sheet of the season.

The defence and goalkeeper have to be given a mention after securing the sides twentieth clean sheet of the season but tonight was all about clinical and ruthless finishing for Lowestoft.
In the past Lowestoft haven't always put teams to the sword when on top but tonight they certainly did with a dominant team performance. Eagle and Smith combined brilliantly all night down the left and the players who have been left out of late (Okay, Smith, Frew), all came in and put in dazzling performances that showed how much they want it and have now certainly left the management team with a few good selection headaches.
The assists by Smith and Frew were of high quality and on another day would have been worthy of the Man of the Match honours but with a well taken hatrick and an assist at the end to boot, my Man of the Match is Jack Ainsley.

Lowestoft Town now welcome Met Police to the Crown Meadow on Saturday, in a match in which they will be hoping, with the supporters help, to keep their play-off push going.

Post-match reaction from joint manager Ady Gallagher and hatrick hero Jack Ainsley will be on the website tomorrow evening.

Come on you blues!!

Terry Bullen