Hat-tricks from Nick Hughes and Luke Woodward helped see Essex Olympian Premier Division leaders Frenford defeat Harold Wood Athletic at Harold Wood Rec as they hit seven to give their title hopes a little boost whilst ending the hosts chances.
Wood knew that they had to win to realistically keep their title hopes alive as they sat ten points behind the leaders in fourth with four games in hand whilst Frenford knew a win would mean only Catholic United would be their only title rivals and this being the visitors final game of the season, they needed to put three points on the board to give the Southend side more work to do to catch them.
And just five minutes into the contest Frenford grabbed the lead as the hosts keeper misjudged a cross and ended up pushing it onto the bar, only for Hughes to be there to poke the loose ball over the line.
It got better for the visitors in the 14th minute as well as they doubled their lead when another defensive error, which saw a cross from the left miscued by a defender, fall into the path of Hughes right in front of goal and he has the easiest tap in and the visitors were already two goals to the good.
Wood to their credit kept going though and after the mother of all hailstorms had drenched an already rather lush surface, the hosts found a way back into the contest on the half hour when Charlie Liddiard burst through on goal and struck an effort under the keeper and into the net.
But just three minutes after this the visitors restored their two goal cushion as the Wood defence went to sleep again, allowing Dan Driscoll to get through and slot into the far corner of the net, however four minutes before the break Wood got themselves right back in the contest again when a brilliant cross from Dan Gillard saw Rob Whitnell place a header into the far corner of the net and it meant Frenford only had a one goal cushion at the break.
Half Time Harold Wood Athletic 2 Frenford 3
Twelve minutes into the second period the visitors restored their two goal cushion once again as Hughes completed his treble by getting across his marker to poke an effort in off the post from a visitors corner kick, and then with twelve minutes left ended this competitive contest by adding a fifth as Driscoll laid a ball across to Woodward who sent a first time finish into the far corner.
With the game pretty much over Frenford ran away with the contest in the final ten minutes, adding a sixth goal with seven minutes remaining as Woodward grabbed his second by sending a cross over the keeper and into the far corner, and then in the first minute of stoppage time Woodward saved the best till last, completing his hat-trick by sending an effort over the keeper and into the far corner once again.
It was an impressive display from the visitors although the scoreline was probably slightly harsh on the hosts who had been competitive for most of the contest.
It all meant that Harold Wood's title chances were over, and now means Catholic United are the only side who can stop Frenford from winning the title. The Southend based side trail the leaders by seven points with five games to go, meaning three wins will see Catholic claim the title, and with Frenford now finished they can only sit back and wait.
Full Time Harold Wood Athletic 2 Frenford 7
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