Match Report

FC United put in one of their best ever performances in the club’s 14 year history to beat old rivals Buxton 7-0 (seven) at Broadhurst Park during United Re-United Day ‪on Saturday afternoon‬.

Man of the match Tunde Owalabi scored four of the seven goals and had a hand in the other three and its little wonder the forward received a standing ovation when he was taken off with 10 minutes to go.

From the first attack you sensed that FC really ‘fancied it’ today and it wasn’t long until the first goal of the day was scored. Tunde started the move, running directly at a Buxton defence that looked like a deer in the headlights, before playing Alex Babos in on the right hand side of the box, Babos took his time, placed the ball at the feet of Jordan Buckley who just passed it into the back of the net. 1-0 after only 12 minutes.

From this point on it seemed as if Tunde was a predator feeding on the fear he was bringing out of the Buxton defence and everytime he got the ball he just wanted to run at them.

This led to the penalty for the second goal as he powered past a helpless defender, who despite his best efforts couldn’t keep up with the FC forward and ending up clattering him down in the box. Tunde dusted himself off and converted the penalty for 2-0 on 16 minutes.

Two minutes later and The Reds added another. This time a deep Curran corner wasn’t cleared properly by the visiting defence and once it fell to the feet of that man Owalabi there was only ever going to be one result. 3-0.

Only the likes of Rory Pattinson have previously become a “cult icon??? at the club as quickly as Tunde has managed to do it. His third goal (sealing his hat-trick after just 25 minutes) was everything an FC fan on the terraces loves about the player. Just sheer power, determination and pace to break free and an accurate strike into the bottom corner. 4-0 with only 25 minutes played.

FC were just clicking all over the pitch and looked hungry for more. The fifth came just before the break as Tunde picked up the ball on the edge of the FC box from a Buxton corner. He played a pass into the path of Alex Curran who took it from inside his own half all the way into the Buxton box before seeing his effort just sneak under the body of former FC goalie Grant Shenton to make it five. 5-0 after only 34 minutes!

A negative from the first half came in the terms of some frustration from the Buxton players who committed several cynical and heavy looking challenges, with one seeing Alex Curran needing treatment and being replaced at the start of the second half by Paul Ennis.

The irony was that Ennis added the sixth with his first touch of the game, another dangerous run from Tunde before a neat back heel into the path of Ennis saw the substitute with time to pick his spot and put the ball away. 6-0 just two minutes after the interval.

Not content with the six they had already bagged, FC kept coming forward looking for more and that man Tunde finished off the magnificent seven with his fourth of the game. Another superb sold effort, showing his power and accuracy once more to fire home. 7-0 with 15 minutes remaining.

The match goes down as one of the most comprehensive performances in the club’s history. Add into the mix that this was our biggest home league win at Broadhurst Park and our first ever home league win over Buxton then you can’t deny the magnitude of such a result.

The Reds now sit just three points off the play-off places on 18 points, with second place to fifth place all on 21 points.

We welcome second placed Basford United to Broadhurst Park ‪on Tuesday evening‬. Another three points would certainly see the ‘Renolution’ gather more momentum than ever before.

Website man of the match: Tune Owalabi. Scored four, made the other three and hit the post. Had the vast majority of 1,888 supporters in attendance cheering his name as he made his way off the field.