West Hampstead on verge of history after crushing 12-0 win

West Hampstead 12

Henley 0

WEST Hampstead are on the verge of creating history after their 12-goal demolition of Henley in their South League division two clash at Brent Cross on Saturday.

If Jamie Dru's sublime outfit can beat promotion rivals Banbury on Saturday they will be promoted to division one for the first time in the club's history, as champions.

West Hampstead, who narrowly avoided the drop last season, have been awesome this campaign with 16 wins and one draw from 21 games in their third season in division two.

Few would have anticipated the former strugglers' massive improvement, led by West's modest skipper Dru, who consistently deflects his deserved plaudits onto his players.

"It was a brilliant team performance and particularly from the two forwards, Harry Willetts and Jack Beard," said Dru after Saturdays explosive victory.

"They were absolutely on fire and looked like scoring each time they got the ball," he said of the pair, who fired home four goals apiece. "The hunger throughout the team was unbelievable and the overall performance was absolutely brilliant. We absolutely destroyed them."

West were quickly ahead when Sam Lemmon netted from a short-corner in the seventh minute.

But the floodgates really opened five minutes later when Beard netted twice in 10 minutes for 3-0.

Stunned, sixth-placed Henley attempted to rally, but West simply raised their game and Fabian Kutt stretched the lead to four when he rifled the ball into the right hand side of the net.

Willetts then followed up with his first when he scored from a rebound for 5-0 at half time.

"Our coach Chris Rowholt told us at half-time that we were playing extremely well and to not change a thing - so we didn't." said Dru.

West roared out for the second half and Willetts racked up a quick double with a bullet into the top left of the net for a commanding 6-0 lead.

Next, Beard completed his hat-trick when he banged in a ball squared to him in front of goal for 7-0 before Willets netted for a hat-trick of his own.

Fergus Parker further stretched the massive advantage when he fired home from the centre of the D before Lemmon took the scoreline to double figures when he lobbed the keeper for 10-0.

Beard followed up and made club history of his own when he bagged his 22nd goal of the campaign and in doing so become the first player in West Hampstead's history to score more than 20 goals in one season.

Willetts completed the rout, grabbing his fourth goal of the contest, when he blasted the ball into the net from close range.

Tomorrow, West play their final game away to Banbury.

West Hampstead: Culverhouse, Dru, Ross, Brooker, Hartley, Little, Rylatt, Kutt, Parker, Willetts, Leech, Lemmon, Beard.

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