A day to forget for West Allotment Celtic as Ryhope CW ran out comfortbale 5-1 winners for the second time this season.
With Storm Eunice sweeping across the nation, weather conditions at Ryhope Recreation Park couldn't have been any better as Allotment got off to the perfect start. New signing Scott McCarthy opened the scoring on 3 minutes to give Allotment the early lead with a tidy finish.
A Kyle Davis free kick levelled the game on 24 minutes before Ryhope took the lead after 35 minutes through Karl Southern. James Ellis then scored a hat-trick in the final 15 minutes to wrap up all 3 points for the hosts.
West Allotment certainly started the brightest and came close to opening the scoring after just 2 minutes. Mikel Thompson beat his man down the right before playing the ball into the box towards McCarthy. McCarthy fired a shot towards goal but it was well-blocked.
On 3 minutes, McCarthy did find the back of the net. A ball over the top of the Ryhope defence from Thompson fell to the feet of McCarthy and the latter drove towards goal before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to give Allotment the early advantage.
The hosts began to find their feet after going a goal down and almost equalised on 16 minutes. A free header from a corner was claimed by Finn Hodgson's gloves before Gee Baltazar made an excellent block to keep out a goal-bound effort.
Ryhope found the leveller on 24 minutes through a stunning free kick from Kyle Davis. The ball curled around the wall and sailed into the top corner.
The hosts continued to push forwards and attack towards the Allotment goal as Hodgson was called into action a few times to deny Ryhope before they grabbed their second goal on 35 minutes.
This time it was Karl Southern with the goal as he was left with a free header from a corner and he made no mistake heading the ball into the back of the net. A goal which gave Ryhope the 2-1 advantage at half time.
On 49 minutes, Ryhope were once again granted an opportunity with a free header. The opportunity was subsequently blown as the header drifted just wide of the post.
After 64 minutes, Callum Larmouth came close to netting an equaliser for Allotment. The striker was played through on goal however, the shot was powered over the bar and out a Ryhope goal kick.
Larmouth came close again on 70 minutes. Another shot from the forward that looked to be heading for the back of the net however, a save at the near post denied him from finding the leveller.
The final 15 minutes well and truly belonged to James Ellis as the striker netted a superb hat-trick for Ryhope CW. A stunning strike from outside the box on 75 minutes flew into the top corner leaving Hodgson with no chance.
Ellis added a fourth on 79 minutes in bizarre fashion. A cross towards the back post ended up looping into the back of the net in very fortunate circumstances.
With Allotment down and out, Ellis secured his hat-trick in stoppage time as he capitalised on a defensive mix up before piledriving the ball into the roof of the net to give his side an impressive 5-1 victory.
Allotment: Hodgson, Baltazar, Parkinson, Pearson, Errington, Higgins, Beeston (Bryan 46'), Hayton, Larmouth, Thompson, McCarthy (Somerville 80')
Goals: McCarthy (3')
Photos | Graeme Jackson