Four For Tens Commit Regicide in Mascot

Lokomotiv Cove's AA6s remain 1 point outside the top four after crushing last-placed Mascot Kings 5-0 in a one-sided encounter at Lestrange Park yesterday.

Lokomotiv welcomed back former captain Ben Willing into the side after his midweek about-face over retirement. His two goals will have been vindication to Coach Dan Adams who convinced Willing to continue.

Lokomotiv started brightly, with Sam Cook and Jason Turner combining well up front. Cook had a chance early, outpacing the defence but he wasn't able to find time to shoot after knocking it past the goal keeper. Next it was Turner's chance. Finding room on the right, his lob over the stranded goalkeeper landed wide of the goal.

Turner's game was to end shortly after, succumbing to an on-going foot injury. Moments later, Lokomotiv were ahead. Ben Fairfax volleyed a through ball for Matthew Quomi, who rolled the ball into the far corner.

Almost immediately Lokomotiv were ahead by two. Brendan Slowey made a marauding run down the right wing, cutting in past his marker, but before he could play his pass he was tripped from behind for a cast-iron penalty. Willing made no mistake from the spot, scoring his first of the season.

Lokomotiv were dominating, especially at the back, where Mascot's long ball game fell right into the hands of the Loko defence, who were comfortably superior. Despite dominating for the remainder of the first half, however, Locomotiv went in only two goals ahead.

The second half started with a Mascot attacking down the left wing. Hesitant defending saw the striker with room to shoot, but Gilbert-Davies watched the ball over the bar.

Mark Donoghue then made the game safe at 3-0 with his first goal of the season. A swinging freekick was hit perfectly for Fairfax in the centre unmarked. Unfortunately his contact was weak and the ball was heading wide before Donoghue arrived at the back post to nod the ball in past the diving goalkeeper from an acute angle.

Mascot were forced to push forward more, trying to get anything out of the game, which allowed the Lokomotiv strikers and wingers acres of space on the counter attack. Domino Postiglione utilised this space to score a spectacular fourth for Lokomotiv. Receiving a great pass from Quomi in space on the left, he took a touch before blasting the shot into the top right corner giving the goalkeeper no chance.

Willing then stepped up to grab his second of the match and Lokomotiv's fifth. Dave Lewis played a low pass into the penalty area, where Fairfax slid in and hit a low, hard shot that the 'keeper could only parry. Willing converted the rebound.

The match threatened to boil over, with Postiglione and the Mascot right-back both being booked after a bout of shoving.

Matt Savona then missed an open goal as Lokomotiv searched for number six. Quomi again played a great through ball down the left, this time to Fairfax. His touch took him to the penalty area, where the ball was played wide of the advancing goalkeeper to Savona who slipped at the wrong moment to fire wide with the goal unmanned.

Five would have to do, leaving winless Mascot entrenched at the bottom of the table, while Lokomotiv moved up into sixth position, one point outside of the top four and having greatly improved their goal difference.

Squad: Gilbert-Davies; Robertson, Donoghue, Willing, Lewis; Savona, Quomi, Slowey, Plaza Vega; Cook, Turner. (Subs: McGlone, Fairfax, Postiglione, Arnold)