Young Men’s Social Club 0 Hamilton Parish 4

Leroy Lewis led from the front with two goals as Hamilton Parish secured their third consecutive league victory at Police Field on Sunday.

Parish started the brighter with decisive passing and control of territory, and got an early reward when Samario Valasse-Paul played a ball wide for Lewis, who drove into space and fired a beautiful low effort past goalkeeper Ryan Evans.

Social Club had to weather a storm and continued to struggle in possession amid the high press. Just minutes after their opener, Parish’s Korin Knights forced a beautiful save from Evans from a similar position with the wingers switching flanks in an attempt to pull the Social Club defence out of their shape.

A scrappy midfield battle ensued after that clear-cut opportunity and Parish doubled their advantage on the half-hour with Justin Bell firing in the rebound on the half-volley after an initial cross by Kyle Wade was punched away by Evans.

Social Club huffed and puffed through the remainder of the first half, and found a little joy from countering the high press of Parish with a few quick passing movements, although their lack of efficiency in the final third cost them any opportunity to get back into the game.

Just before the end of the first half, Parish punished their hosts for a lack of decisive decision-making in attacking areas when Lewis took advantage of poor defending from a Parish corner, finishing into the bottom corner after being played through by Zuhri Burgess, who was left free just inside the penalty area.

Burgess scored Parish’s fourth goal straight from the second-half kick-off, catching Evans off his line with a first-time shot to virtually kill off the match as a contest.

Social Club’s goalkeeper Evans then went off with an apparent leg injury and was replaced by youngster Casey Hardtman, who did not have to make a notable save as the game degenerated into a scrappy encounter.

The home side were aggressive in their challenges in an attempt to make their way into the opposition penalty area and find a consolation, but it wasn’t to be as Parish held firm defensively to keep the clean sheet and record their third consecutive league win.

Parish head coach Sergio Goater was pleased that his side clinched the win early.

“We got the job done in the first half,” he said. “The second was very scrappy, but the pitch didn’t help. We have to make an impact in the title race and to do this we have to keep on winning matches.”

SCORERS

Hamilton Parish: Lewis 4, 45+2; Bell 30; Burgess 46

TEAMS

Social Club (4-2-3-1): R Evans 4 (sub: C Hardtman, 46min 5) – M Rudo 5 (sub: K Rawlings, 46 5; sub: M Williams, 84), C Woolridge 5, K Smith 4, B Swan 5 – R Parris 6, Kelvon Butterfield 5 – M Wilson 5, J Hardtman 5, T Butterfield 5 – D Jones Jr 6. Substitutes not used: Keshun Butterfield. Booked: Hardtman, Kelvon Butterfield.

Hamilton Parish (4-2-3-1): N Burgess 6 – K Knights 5, M Turner 5, J Bean 6, K Wade 5 - M Hill 5, Z Burgess 6 – S Valasse-Paul 6, M Walker 6 (sub: C Lindo, 79), L Lewis 7 (sub: J Stowe 85) – J Bell 5. Substitutes not used: S McKittrick, J Steede, R McKittrick; Booked: Hill, Bell, Stowe

Referee: S Maybury