League: Chawton Athletic 11 Aldershot Park Elite 0.

Starting XI:  Martin Booth (GK).  Jamie Oakley (RB), James Harvey (CB), Marc Taylor (CB), Kyle Bale (LB).  Will Rietzler (RM), Jake Channon (CM), Danny Taylor (CM), Pete Goodall (LM).  Ben Hodkin (FW), Ryan Furey (FW).
Subs:  Carl Waterfield, Jordan Dunbar, Ashley Brooks, Michael Phillips, Matt Stevens.

Chawton Athletic began the 2011/12 league season in record breaking fashion at the new home, against a depleted Aldershot Park Elite.

Danny Taylor wins the header.

The away side started with ten men, waiting for another player but an early injury forced their only sub on.  Will Rietzler set the tone for what was to come, when he slotted home in the first five minutes, only to see his goal chalked off for offside.

But it was not long before he got on the scoresheet, when the first of many followed a deft finish.  The Yellows were dominating the half and the wide, flat Jubilee playing surface allowed them to play their preferred brand of slick passing football.  Rietzler and Oakley were causing carnage down the right flank and when the ball was switched, Bale and Goodall matched it.  Elite could not cope and found themselves 6-0 at half time.

Two early second half goals came, and then complacency seemed to drift into Athletic... something they had previously never suffered from, as they'd never been eight goals to the good.  A couple of substitutions (competitive debuts for Mike Phillips and Jordan Dunbar) put new life into the game, which was now being played in heavy rain showers, and Chawton finished on a high with a further three goals being knocked in.

Jake Channon make the pass.

Booth in goal rarely had anything to do, although Elite did have a couple of shots from distance.  The defence kept a reasonably tight line, making it hard for the away side.  Another competitive debutante Danny Taylor was partnering Jake Channon in midfield and not much got through.

Overshadowing captain and leading scorer Hodkin, would did get on the scoresheet, were Ryan Furey and Will Rietzler who both notched four goals each - although Furey should have had at least one more when he missed a sitter from no more than five yards!  There were even rare goals from both centre backs, Marc Taylor and James Harvey!  Final score was 11-0 with the strikers also contributing to nine assists between them.

Man of the Match, Will Rietzler.

Elstead Lighting Man of the Match:  Will Rietzler - four goals, and dominated the wing!


Goals:  Rietzler (4), Furey (4), Hodkin, Harvey, M Taylor.