FINAL SCORE:
Hardley..........................0 Tantamount FC........... 1
The Mount produced another fine performance against Hardley and deservedly not only got another three points on the board, but also notched their first ever clean sheet. Hardley had played earlier in the day and looked slightly more aware in the opening stages. Noakes though was up for the task, getting in some tasty blocks and tackles. Jimbo returned after two weeks away and looked sharp, and it was he who had the Mount's best chance of the half when he hit a powerful left footed shot just over. Alex was unlucky with a couple of opportunities, one set up after a jinking run from defence by Noakes, whilst Martin had a couple of shots charged down. It was Hardley who came closest to opening the scoring in the first half; firstly an unmarked player on the left found himself one-on-one but his shot was well saved by Spence, whilst another shot - again from the left - struck the post.
The second half was a real end-to-end affair, with the Mount responding to every Hardley attack with one of their own. The Tanta's counter-attacking style after the break exploited the pace of Ryan and Martin, with Modders a tireless figure on the right. All three had opportunities as strikes rained down on the Hardley keeper who was in superb form, tipping one goal-bound shot from Ryan over the bar. With roundabout two minutes left the Mount took the lead, a reward for the countless shots they'd had in an eventful second half. After more fine counter-attacking, Ryan's pass to Martin found the elder Brockman in space in the centre of the field. He looked up, waited and then unleashed a rocket of a shot that beat the keeper, hit the inside of the post and went in. 1-0 to the Mount! And that's the way it stayed until full-time. Hardley won a stream of free-kicks and forced Spence into a number of saves, but with Pilch blocking several powerful shots at the back and Modders and Martin marshalling the channels - the former making a key tackle in the last minute - the Tantas earned their first ever clean sheet, and another confidence-boosting win.
						Martin - scored a cracking late winner
LINE-UP: J.Spencer; M.Brockman, Noakes, Rose; Jacobs SUBS: Pilcher, Moody, R.Charman
SCORERS: M.Brockman 14