James Ewington (2008) scores 6 goals for Harpenden Town F.C.
What a night for Ewington as striker score six for Harpenden Town F.C. in memorable game at Wembley.
The north London club’s troubles with the FA have put them firmly in the spotlight and this game will keep them there, but not for the reasons they would have wanted. To be fair though, the star of the show was Harpenden striker James Ewington, who buried six of his side’s goals. It takes the hotshot up to 18 in the league and 26 overall, making him the top scorer in the Spartan South Midlands League.
He said: “I don’t think I have ever scored six before and it is great to be the league’s top scorer. “The pitch helped because we know we are a footballing side and I was played in by magnificent through balls by Sam James and James Yates. “It was a great response after a tough few games. We really needed this result.”
Manager Danny Plumb said: “To come out on a winter Tuesday night after work and play like that was magnificent. “Our play in the first half was superb and I am delighted for James, what a night for him.”
But if 10 goals and six from one player wasn’t enough, this incredible game had another twist with eight of the goals in the first half. Ewington set the tone after four minutes, sweeping home after Yates had set him up and although Wembley equalised, he managed two in the space of 30 seconds on the quarter-hour.
First the Wembley keeper saved with his legs and the Ewington blasted in the rebound and during a goalmouth scramble seconds later he slotted home again. His best goal was the fourth, picking up a great ball from James, beating the last defender and rounded the keeper to score from a title angle. That was on 24 minutes and from the restart they won a corner which Sam Jenkins nodded home. Zaied Sabti pulled one back for Wembley on 44 minutes but Ewington finished off the half with his fifth and a sixth for Harps.
The second half couldn’t live up to the first but still boasted a couple of goals and a sending off. Wembley got their third before Ewington crowned a great night for him and the club late on. Sabti received his marching orders for a barge right in front of the referee in stoppage time.
Article courtesy of the Herts Advertiser’s Neil Metcalfe ; Jan 25 2018