Middlesex County – Premier Division
C.B. Hounslow United Reserves 1
St Panteleimon 6
(Half-time 0-5)
Knight 5’
Tajbakhsh 10’ 34’ 41’
Massey ‘19 53’
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Under the bright, cold and loud Heathrow skies, The Saints marched on today with a skilful and emphatic win over Hounslow United Reserves.
A lively start saw St Panteleimon take the lead in 5 minutes. Tireless running by Roberto Katsikas and then a sharp pass to Jake Knight saw a tremendous long shot fly into the top corner from outside the box.
The Saints did not let up. Constant pressure forced a corner and a bullet header at the near post from Noyan Tajbakhsh put the visitors two up.!
Recent joiner Courtney Massey who has impressed in his first couple of games added a third. 0-3 in under 20 minutes.
Then Tajbakhsh added two more before half time to get his hat-trick (another one this season). Half time 0-5.
The second half started in the dark. Usually games start at 2pm in November but this one started at 3pm for some unknown reason, and the second half felt a different game. Massey added a 6th for the Saints on 53’, before the home team got a consolation goal two minutes after, to make it 1-6.
Some tiredness and frustration caused a red card each towards the end, but nothing could take away another quality performance and result for St Panteleimon.
10 games unbeaten this season. Sitting in second spot with two games in hand.
The last time St Panteleimon lost a league game was in the 2016/17 season. On the 3rd March 2017, they lost 4-0 away to Nea Salamina. Since then, they have gone 36 games without losing, winning 29 and drawing 7. An incredible 20 month stretch. (The last 4 games in KOPA Division One – 2016/17, 22 games in Middlesex Division One – 2017/18, And now the first 10 games in the Premier – in this 2018/19 season).
Next week the Saints are back at home in the league, against FC Assyria. 2pm kick off, Greenford UB6 0NX.
– James Neophytou reporting ?