By Pete Martin – Images by Roger Elliott.
Brian Dutton’s 1st home match in charge saw the Whites on the end of a 4-1 defeat as Met Police FC took all 3 points back home to London.
The newly installed Salisbury manager made 2 changes from last week’s draw with North Leigh; Darren Mullings and Ben Thomson coming in for Seokjae Lee and Dan Fitchett.
Salisbury could have taken the lead inside the first minute of the match but after Josh Carmichael was fouled just outside the area he picked himself up and fired the free kick narrowly over the bar. In a frantic start to the game Met Police then found themselves ahead after just 3 minutes with skipper Luke Robertson the man on the scoresheet. Home keeper Gerard Benfield’s ball out was short for Charlie Davis and Jasper Mather was alert to nip in and feed Robertson, who made no mistake from just inside the area. With the away side buoyed by the goal, Joshua Keeya put a long-range strike over the bar before Salisbury started to get a foothold in the game. The Whites were seeing plenty of possession but struggling to create many clearcut chances until on 19 minutes a good move down the right saw the ball across cleverly dummied by Brandon Goodship only for Josh Sommerton to blaze his shot high and wide when well placed. Shortly after the half-hour mark, Met Police doubled their lead and it came just after Carmichael had headed a corner over the bar. From the resulting goal kick, the ball was flicked on and Mather found himself in behind the defence where he was bought down by Benfield, with a penalty awarded. Up stepped Herson Rodrigues-Alves who fired the ball into the bottom left corner giving the keeper no chance. The remainder of the half saw Salisbury continue to be the side with the lion’s share of possession but a lack of a quality final ball and some stout defending by Met Police ensured that visiting keeper Liam Beach didn’t have a proper save to make up until half time.
The second half started with the visitors on the front foot and after Rodrigues-Alves saw a free kick deflected behind on 50 minutes, they added a 3rd goal just 2 minutes later. A neat passing move saw the defence opened up and Rodrigues-Alves was able to slot home from inside the box when in plenty of space. Despite a couple of Salisbury substitutions; on the hour mark it was Met Police who added a 4th, with that man Rodrigues-Alves rising highest to head home a corner from 5 yards out and complete his hat-trick. The remaining half hour saw Met Police happy to defend with the Whites continuing to prove to find an opening and the defence standing firm. On 68 minutes a clever interchange ended with Goodship clipping the ball to the back post but substitute Lee could only head the ball wide and 7 minutes later the same player dragged a shot wide when cutting in from the left-hand side. On 78 minutes the Whites did get a goal back and it came from the penalty spot. Goodship feed the ball through to Sam Ashton who was taken out and following lengthy protests from the visiting side Goodship kept his cool to rifle home the spot kick. There were further chances for substitutes Charlie Fox and Ashton but the game ended with Salisbury unable to trouble the scorers further seeing Met Police take the points home with them.
The White will look to bounce back this Tuesday 25th October when they entertain league leaders Truro City in a 7:45 pm kick-off.
Team: Benfield, Davis, Sommerton, Roberts, Gillela, Carmichael(Lee), Mullings, Wakefield, Diaz(Fox), Goodship, Thomson.
Unused Subs: Gunstone-Gray.
