THE GREAT Notley Rams returned to winning ways after a two week break in fixtures with a four-one win over the Woodham Radars on Notley Green.
Goals from Sam Donnelly, James O'Reilly and Jonathan Stoneman secured the points against a battling Radars team who showed commitment from start to finish.
The Rams lined up with Tom McInerney in goal, a defence from Jamie McNeilly, Tom Hunt and Ben Rodley, O'Reilly, Stoneman and Matthew Littlejohn in midfield and Donnelly, Harvey Ricci and Matthew Norris up front.
Any rustiness that the team may have suffered having not played for a fortnight was forgotten in the opening seconds of the match when Donnelly forced his way into the box to slot home with the game just minutes old.
But the Radars were back in the game shortly afterwards following a sweetly taken finish from their main striker, who found himself through on goal and steered the ball past McInerney into the top corner.
The Radars' equaliser had come against the run of play, as the Rams had been pressing, and they made the most of this pressure when O'Reilly drilled home a left-foot effort in the run up to half time, although the Radars could have equalised for a second time had it not been for an excellent save from McInerney when the Radars forwards had again found themselves one on one with the Notley keeper.
In the second half, the Rams continued to dictate the pace, and Stoneman's persistance in the box was rewarded with a third goal when he hit a left foot shot low into the bottom corner.
And the game was put out of the Radars' reach when O'Reilly's second was parried by the Radar goalkeeper but still found its way over the line.
After the match Rams boss John Stoneman said: "We definitely had a few cobwebs on show in the first period and at half time we talked about how we needed to raise our game.
"At times we were trying to do too much with the ball individually, and we must remember that our early success this season has come from our ability to pass the ball rather than trying to beat too many players."
Goals from Sam Donnelly, James O'Reilly and Jonathan Stoneman secured the points against a battling Radars team who showed commitment from start to finish.
The Rams lined up with Tom McInerney in goal, a defence from Jamie McNeilly, Tom Hunt and Ben Rodley, O'Reilly, Stoneman and Matthew Littlejohn in midfield and Donnelly, Harvey Ricci and Matthew Norris up front.
Any rustiness that the team may have suffered having not played for a fortnight was forgotten in the opening seconds of the match when Donnelly forced his way into the box to slot home with the game just minutes old.
But the Radars were back in the game shortly afterwards following a sweetly taken finish from their main striker, who found himself through on goal and steered the ball past McInerney into the top corner.
The Radars' equaliser had come against the run of play, as the Rams had been pressing, and they made the most of this pressure when O'Reilly drilled home a left-foot effort in the run up to half time, although the Radars could have equalised for a second time had it not been for an excellent save from McInerney when the Radars forwards had again found themselves one on one with the Notley keeper.
In the second half, the Rams continued to dictate the pace, and Stoneman's persistance in the box was rewarded with a third goal when he hit a left foot shot low into the bottom corner.
And the game was put out of the Radars' reach when O'Reilly's second was parried by the Radar goalkeeper but still found its way over the line.
After the match Rams boss John Stoneman said: "We definitely had a few cobwebs on show in the first period and at half time we talked about how we needed to raise our game.
"At times we were trying to do too much with the ball individually, and we must remember that our early success this season has come from our ability to pass the ball rather than trying to beat too many players."
