Richmond Town Football Club

RICHMOND Town made it three wins from their opening three games with a convincing 5-0 win at Earls Orchard with Sam Bainbridge and Ryan Booth both scoring their first goals for the club either side of a Scott Ryan hat trick.

Town manager Jonathan Kellett was absent from the dugout and left the team in the capable hands of his assistants Kalumn Holbrook and Sam Vernon who were helped by the injured Adam Emson, who was one of thirteen players unavailable for selection. Harton And Westoe have been busy signing new players during the close season and had been tipped by many to be a surprise package this season but were brushed aside by a rampant Richmond.

Town were ahead in only the fourth minute . A miscued clearance from goalkeeper Daniel Hebden found Bainbridge who from forty yards lifted the ball over the keeper who was too far off his line and unable to prevent the ball hitting the back of the net. After fifteen minutes Ryan doubled the lead with a superb goal. Ben Darville picked out the front man who was far too quick for his marker and after a thirty yard burst, produced a fine finish across Hebden into the far corner of the net. Four minutes into the second half the game was as good as over.A ball into the box was contolled by Ryan who turned his marker inside out before firing the ball over Hebden into the top corner. Dan Deeney was enjoying his home debut, seeing plenty of the ball on Richmond’s right side of midfield and from one of his many attacks he brought a good save from the Harton keeper but the loose ball was forced over the line to complete Ryan’s hat trick with sixty one minutes played. Three minutes later Richmond added a fifth after Ryan turned provider. His cross was flicked on by Darville who had worked tirelessly once again all afternoon into the path of Booth who hammered the ball into the net at the second attempt after his first shot was blocked on the line.

With so many players missing it was evident the competition for places is going to be stronger than many people can remember at the club. Frustratingly the management team know that throughout August and September a number of key players will be missing.Kellett said following the win “ I’m confident that the squad is good enough to compete. Richmond’s back four on Saturday had an average age of under 20 years old.Things are going well and the future looks bright. We’re working hard as a club both on and off the field. We’d love for a few more to come down to Earls Orchard next Saturday for what will no doubt be a very tough game against Hebburn Town Reserves and get behind the team”.

Kick Off is at 14.30.