FC followers were treated to a majestic display from their favourites in a performance that highlighted the massive strides made by the team this season. The men in red continued their march into the Southern League play off positions and whilst the season is admittedly at an early stage, who would bet against the team remaining there given the supreme quality displayed by the squad in recent weeks?

As is often the case in games such as today’s, the early stages produced few chances for either team and gave little indication of the action to follow. It was 17 long minutes before FC opened the scoring. An Aston Goss freekick was floated into the box and Brian Haule rose above a static St Ives defence to power his header home. Charlie Beath nodded over a couple of minutes later as the away team attempted to redress the balance. Sonny French had a chance to extend FC’s lead before Gareth Price grabbed the second goal of the game. With support from Connor Baker, Gareth’s powerful run into the box gave him a sight of goal and his powerful shot gave keeper Barney McLaughlin no chance. On 36 minutes Brian Haule was replaced by Bradley Wadkins and it appeared FC would lose some of their attacking ability or so some would think.

The second half started with a jinking run and shot by the excellent Jeanmal Prosper. Soon afterwards Ben Bateman fed Sonny French who was denied by a late block. With the dynamic pace of Price, Wadkins, French, Lynton Goss and Aston Goss it wasn’t to be too long before FC grabbed more goals. A corner on 51 minutes was headed down by Kyle Anthony to Brad Wadkins whose shot sneaked over the line as the referee and linesman both indicated a goal. On 54 minutes the mercurial Wadkins swept a cross over which the keeper could only divert into the path of Lynton Goss with the FC striker making no mistake from just a few yards out.

St Ives had posed little threat as an attacking force but on 57 minutes the away team claimed a goal of their own. A corner from the right hand side was met with an instep volley by Jordan Lambert. It was a soft goal by any standards to give away and FC responded by further increasing their lead. Jeanmal Prosper caused the St Ives defence no end of issues allowing Lynton Goss a shot on goal. His effort was blocked therefore giving Gareth Price the easiest of chances to make the score 5-1.

On 71 minutes Sonny French and Brad Wadkins combined well with Brad striking the ball low and hard from the outside of the penalty area into the bottom corner of the net. Arguably the goal of the game made the score 7-1. Sonny French, approaching the form which won him the Player of the Year Award in 2012/13, went on a barnstorming run before unleashing a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the net. On 90 minutes St Ives were reduced to 10 men with the dismissal of Stuart Bason for a 2nd bookable offence, and FC put their guests out of their misery by clocking up another goal on the stroke of full time. Brad Wadkins completed his hat-trick as his turn and shot from 10 yards crept into the bottom corner much to the delight of teammates and supporters alike.