A fast start
The Veteran Stags produced one of their most complete away performances to date, running out 7-3 winners in a game that showcased attitude, discipline and ruthless attacking football from the very first whistle.
With Co-Manager Chris Brown away, fellow Co-Manager and player Barry Parker took charge of the side, supported by stand-in assistant manager Mark Alexander. The morning threw up a further change when Club Captain Oram-Tooley withdrew at 4:00am for personal reasons, handing the armband to Vice-Captain Parker for the afternoon. A squad that travelled over an hour from home, due to local pitch availability, showed no signs of the journey in their legs or their focus.
The Stags struck early. Grant Stapleton opened the scoring on twelve minutes, finishing from a Marius Melinte assist to settle any away-day nerves. From there, the visitors took control.
Jamie Edmondson doubled the lead on twenty minutes, before Kareem Davis made it three on the half hour, Stapleton turning provider this time. Edmondson then grabbed his second on thirty-five minutes to put the game firmly in the Stags' grip.
The hosts pulled one back before the break, a genuinely unreal top-bins volley from all of thirty-five yards. There was little the defence could do about the strike itself, though the ball was handled in the build-up to set the chance up, a moment the referee missed. Half-time, and the Stags led comfortably.
Managing the second half
The second period brought fresh legs and continued control. Marius Melinte added a fifth on fifty-five minutes, teed up by Barry Parker, as the wide players continued to torment the home defence.
The opposition found a route back through set pieces. Their second was a free-kick that took a deflection off Mark Alexander and crept into the bottom corner, and their third came from another edge-of-the-box free-kick, scrappy in nature but a goal all the same.
The Stags had answers. James Small, on as a substitute, got the goal his effort deserved on seventy-five minutes, laid on by Travis Martin, before Grant Stapleton completed the scoring and his brace on eighty-five, Melinte again with the assist.
Solid throughout
Between the sticks, Brock was in commanding form, his double save after a rare defensive lapse proving a real turning point early on. The back four were disciplined and supportive all afternoon, giving the midfield and forward line the platform to push higher and press.
Grant Stapleton was desperately unlucky not to take Player of the Match honours on his first game back, contributing two goals, two crossbars and two assists across the afternoon. The award, however, went to David Nicol, who orchestrated play from the middle of the park and allowed those around him to inflict the damage.
Up next
Attention now turns to the Peter Hodbell Cup. Following a free weekend, the Veteran Stags host Worplesdon Veterans on the twenty-seventh (venue to be confirmed), with plenty of competition for places up for grabs after this performance.
Whitehill & Bordon Veterans
Goals: Stapleton 12', 85' | Edmondson 20', 35' | Davis 30' | Melinte 55' | Small 75'
Assists: Melinte 12', 85' | Stapleton 30' | Parker 55' | Wilson 75'
