Christopher ‘Lik’ Kastelik poached his way to a brace of goals which proved the difference in a fascinating contest at home to Wayfarers M1s.

 

With Coach Huw Stevens coming in for skipper Scott Ellis and Angus Burns returning for the absent Sajiv the 4’s took to the field with just 13 players against a Wanderers side whose results had included a 6-1 decimation of Barnes on the 28th February.

 

Immediately Huw-ball showed Southgate’s intent as a parade of high velocity aerials bombarded the Wayfarers defensive positions. Mitch Read picked one such bomb with customary expletives before driving the baseline in inimitable style just failing to challenge the Wayfarers keeper.

 

It was a physical and boisterous affair from the get-go as set to’s between the teams kept umpires Hubbard and Prior on their toes. Tadgh McGrath was on his hustling form and Yu Ito in a MOM performance at centre back managed to be everywhere at all the right times and put in a heroic performance.

 

Yet Southgate’s loose marking proved a sticking point and in the 10th minute Henry Thould for Wayfarers was released left hand side of the D and clobbered it past Sam Rowson who appeared vexed at the development.

 

Southgate hearts remained pumped and motivated as Jai Martins and Waqqas Dastagir in midfield combined well with newest yet most mature recruit Dan McGrath and helped force a save from the Wayfarers keeper that fell on a dime for the eager Mitch Read who leathered a ball against the backboard with a desultory roar in accompaniment and Southgate were back on terms.

 

Tadgh McGrath linked up with the nimble wares of the fleet footed Whatley winning a PC in the 32nd minute when Coach Huw sloped up from his den in a hue of disdainful approbation and sent the ball ricocheting off the keepers pads whereupon Whatley pounced all talons and teeth and on an upright reverse absented the ball with panache to the left post where on beating the keeper alas it met the stick of the Wayfarers post man and the come-back was forestalled at the half time whistle.

 

The mood remained fraught at half time with plenty of verbose and voluble exchanges leading to various cards awarded to the opposition. Sajiv was missing from the Southgate ranks and strangely the home side went without a card. Southgate exerted some sustained pressure yet a well worked counter in the 42nd minute saw the visitors edge back in front from open play.1-2.

 

Southgate managed to win a succession of corners the last of which saw a superb save from the Wayfarers keeper from a coach Huw low flick bottom left, as the embattled centre back pounced on the ball as it flicked off the keepers pads so too did the keeper pounce on Huw and there they lay in post coitus before a coming together followed here-in. Southgate stand-in skip Thomas Davies watched on tenterhooks as yet another corner was won and this time despite another save it fell to the stick of Lik who did pick it off the pitch and deposited it with good grit into the goal and Southgate were 2-2 with 15 to play.

 

Soon centre back Huw Stevens started appearing with frequency into the Wayfarers D, on one occasion as he ambled his way across the whole pitch through half the opposition ball on stick as a fly to paper he twacked a reverse which he latterly claimed was intended to steer towards the goal keeper, yet instead it found the perfectly placed stick of forward Whatley who diverted the ball with precision and elan goal ward. Yet in a moment seared into the hearts of all who witnessed Lik did but nick the ball off the line to secure his brace and celebrate well did Lik who had spent the night well in Harrow.

 

The final 10 minutes were played in a furnace of Wayfarers attacks with David James putting in overtime with Angus Burns nursing a bruised ankle hobbling around heroically like a fair winded Gepeto. Wayfarers became more irked with the passing minutes as wave after wave of attacks was defended with guts and gall by the squall of Southagte’s ardour.

 

Umpire Hubbard finally put an end to proceeding with a decisive blow on his whistle and the 4s retired to celebrate a fine victory, the first of the season and with it they climbed up into the top 6 of the ever competitive London Division 2 North. Next up is a Wapping test at Lee Valley. With Skipper Scott returning to forge his path to victory. Up the Gate.