Fine brace by Bishop for Hanley (From Malvern Gazette)

Fine brace by Bishop for Hanley

7:50pm Sunday 20th November 2011 in Football

Hanley Swan 6, Cheltenham Saracens 1.

BLAKE Bishop fired a brace as his Hanley Swan side recovered from being 1-0 down to defeat Cheltenham Saracens in the Cheltenham Association League Division Three.

Hanley started without regular goalkeeper Andy Smith, with Tristan Tyler his replacement. The game started slowly and it was Hanley who were all at sea when Saracens went ahead with a header from a well-taken corner. This sparked the hosts into life, as Hanley forced a string of excellent saves from the Saracens keeper. After 20 minutes, the pressure told when Bishop rifled in from 15 yards to pull his side level.

From the kick-off, Hanley pushed on again, as James Rimmell directed a defence-splitting 50-yard pass to pick out John Palmer, who slotted home. More fine work from Si Grifu and Randy Rogers saw McTernan put Hanley 3-1 up at the break.

In the second-half, Hanley showed good patience with the ball. This tactic paid off with Bishop bagging his brace.

With Hanley now 4-1 up, manager Garry Thackeray brought on substitutes Craig Toomey, Mark Wright and Olly Lewis, the latter finished at the far post after some excellent work from Richard Foley. Hanley sealed a fine victory with Mark Wright tapping in his side’s sixth.