Whinney Hill Res 2, Lamb Inn 5 "HOPE you've brought plenty of note paper pal. There's going to be loads of incidents in this game," Whinney Hill's goalkeeper Shaun O'Brien warned me seconds before the start.

And how right he was!

Within 20 minutes of the kick-off I was reduced to scribbling on the back of a discarded fag packet.

By that time Whinney Hill's penalty area resembled the retreat from Dunkirk and O'Brien himself was staggering from one goal post to the other.

The bombardment began immediately Mr Galpin blew his whistle. With only 45 seconds on the clock a long throw in from Ian Chippendale found the head of Neil Dunleavy who flicked a backwards header into the path of Jimmy Whitehead.

With the goal at his mercy Whitehead picked his spot and nodded the ball past the disbelieving O'Brien.

Minutes later Whitehead gave O'Brian plenty of notice of intent, as he skipped past three defenders inside the penalty area and as the Whinney Hill keeper advanced off his line, Whitehead beat him with a shot that just skimmed the outside of the post.

But Whitehead was just warming up and in the 14 minute he struck again.

Once more Chippendale launched a bouncing bomb of a throw in to the Whinney Hill penalty area and while the hapless defenders dithered, Whitehead, lurking on the six yard box, lashed the ball over the line.

Three minutes later Whitehead completed his hat-trick. With the Whinney Hill defenders still reeling and O'Brien frantically trying to organise some sort of adequate cover, Whitehead reacted first to Mark Gibson's corner and cracked home number three with a shot from close range. And it came as no surprise when Jimmy Campbell added a fourth in the 19 minute. When Neil Dunleavy's corner fell to the feet of Campbell, he powered in a shot from 15 yards that struck O'Brien so hard, the keeper could only deflect the ball into the net.

At this stage the game looked over but, to their credit, Whinney Hill hit back immediately.

And when 15-year-old Andy Strutz received the ball out wide he showed great composure before crossing inch perfect for Tony Dobson to rifle home in the 21 minute

. Another pin point cross from Strutz moments later looked to have provided Whinney Hill with a second, but Tony Jones headed wide.

In the second half, Whinney Hill, now recovered from the opening barrage, defended with far more resilience.

For a while it looked like Whinney Hill may even battle their way back into the game and when another excellent cross from young player maker Andy Strutz found Kevin Maloney, the ex Miners Arms player almost scored with a spectacular overhead kick that Ged MacGauley did well to save.

But the Lamb have a well organised side and in Dunleavy and Campbell two highly effective midfield players who control the centre of the park with great efficiency and when the pacey Dean Kissock replaced Martin Pickup midway in the half, Dunleavy and Campbell exploited his speed to great effect. But the impressive Kissock was not to be denied for long. In the 78 minute, Neil Dunleavy, powered his way through the Whinney Hill defence and released Jimmy Whitehead, whose venomous shot stung the hands of O'Brien and cannoned into the path of Kissock to score a well deserved goal and the Lamb's fifth.

Whinny Hill did manage to pull another goal back two minutes from time when Martin Parker struck a glorious shot from 20 yards, giving MacGauley no chance. But despite their creditable second half performance the home side had been well beaten.

Shaun O'Brien's predictions proved correct and I toddled off home with my pockets full of empty cigarette packets.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.