There are certain moments in life when things just ‘click’. Mornings when your dropped toast lands butter side up. Days when it seems as though the planets of our solar system have formed a celestial conga line in their infinite heavenly dance. For TAFC Lightning, today was one of those days.

It genuinely felt like spring was finally forcing its way out of the stygian depths of winter and glorious sunshine greeted the players as they assembled at Bushy Park to do battle with Reigate Priory once again. At their previous meeting back in December, Reigate had emerged victorious in a 7-3 win over the Lightning lads, so it was time to make amends on home turf this time. One thing was certain, this was a game in which there would definitely be goals. And goals indeed there were.

Fresh from the half term break, Lightning lined up in a brand new more attacking 2-5-1 formation with Samuel back between the sticks, James and Ray in defence. Enrique, Louis and Sam (making his home debut) with Joseph and Stanley on the wings forming the midfield contingent and Luke, on his own, up front. Due to a late arrival of one of the Priory players, Daniel also got a start as he was temporarily loaned to Reigate in order to get the game underway on time.

As the game began Teddington wasted no time at all. Piling on the pressure from the first whistle, they set up camp in the Reigate half. And, as it happened, this was a camp that they occupied for practically the entirety of the first half of the game. Louis and Joseph streamed forward with intent and following an early goalmouth stramash the ball popped out neatly for Sam who struck an absolute beauty over the head of the Reigate keeper and top bins, into the net. Lightning had opened their account early doors, and the momentum of the game was certainly with them.

Teddington continued their assault on the Reigate goalmouth with Louis nearly heading one home, but the keeper somehow managed to keep it out of the net. Enrique pushed another chance agonisingly wide, but then Luke picked up the ball and guided it skilfully past the keeper to chalk up Lightning’s second goal of the match. The attritional play continued with a flurry of corners and several more narrowly missed attempts from Luke and Joseph.

Daniel, having been released from his previous position thanks to the arrival of the missing Reigate player, came on with George at the back and Stanley worked hard on the wing, delivering some useful balls but a third goal was proving elusive. Reigate then got a break that saw the ball roll dangerously close to Samuel’s far post, but it was heroically kept out of the net by a sliding Sam, who hurled himself into the way to keep the ball out for a corner.

Stefanos joined the fray in his usual ‘terrier-esque’ manner and Lightning kept up the pressure. As the match continued Enrique had clearly decided it was time to get himself on the scoresheet. He nearly headed one home, but even with one of his salmon-like leaps, it was just too high for him. Two further shots were denied, but then finally, he got his chance. A sweet first touch and a devastating finish saw him fire one confidently past the Reigate keeper and into the old onion bag.

More good defensive work from George and Daniel at the back ensued, but then Reigate were awarded a free kick in a dangerous place just outside the area. It was struck with aplomb, rattling the Teddington crossbar but it was expertly kept out of the net by Samuel. Stanley continued his excellent work on the right wing and Joseph was brought down in the area at the other end of the pitch but the referee was unmoved. As the whistle blew for half time the Lightning lads could be really proud of themselves. They had turned the screw on Reigate right from the first whistle and their 3-0 lead was entirely deserved. There was definitely a palpable feeling that we hadn’t seen the last of the goals either.

Half Time – Teddington Athletic Lightning 3-0 Reigate Priory Youth

As the second half got underway Lightning continued exactly where they had left off. The defence remained rock solid and Louis hit a sweet through ball that unfortunately Luke just couldn’t catch up before it reached the Reigate keeper. Then Joseph managed to slip the shackles of the Priory defence and, looking up and spotting the keeper off his line, dinked a lovely chip shot over the top and into the back of the net. A comfortable 4-0 lead, but the job was far from done for Lightning.

Reigate fought back hard and ramped up the pressure. Luke made a nice run, but as so often happens, the familiar cries of ‘Dog on the pitch!’ rang out and his chance on goal was somewhat thwarted by the canine intervention. Reigate then thundered up to the other end of the pitch. Samuel came out of his goal well and committed to make the save, but the striker managed to elude him and unleased a shot that even beat a full stretch George as he tried to get a desperate foot to it and stop it from going into the goal.

At the other end, Teddington were still searching for more goals. Sam was fouled in the area, but again the referee wasn’t interested. Dusting himself off, he immediately made amends by slamming another one past the Reigate keeper to score Lightning’s fifth. Samuel made another important save but then as a Reigate corner kick came in there was nothing he could do to prevent the subsequent header as Priory got another goal back.

Lightning launched another attack and Louis was brought down in the box. This time the referee gave the penalty and Luke stepped up to take it. With his usual cool headed composure and a cheeky little Ronaldo-like stuttering run up he sent it home to make it 6-2 to Lightning. But Reigate weren’t going down without a fight. Breaking through the Teddington defensive lines they fired a scorching shot directly at Samuel who got two hands to it, but such was the ferocity of the strike, there was nothing he could do to stop it rebounding into the roof of the net.

With ten minutes left on the clock, Lightning needed to dig deep. Some promising breaks were made but they just couldn’t make the most of them as a result of needing the ball to be passed through earlier. James, who had been brought back on in an attacking position this time, linked up nicely with his brother and nearly made it through the defence, but it was not to be. With just two minutes of normal time left, Reigate then broke again and fired another scorching shot from a very challenging angle past a stricken Samuel, but it was too little, too late from a Priory point of view.

As the whistle blew for full time the Lightning lads could rightfully celebrate a strong win. In the second meeting in a row with Reigate Priory ten goals had been scored and this time more of them had found the back of the opposition’s net. As always, the boys could be really proud of another strong performance on the pitch and happy with the fact that justice had been done.

Full Time – Teddington Athletic Lightning 6-4 Reigate Priory Youth

Goals – Sam (2’, 42’), Luke (5’, pen 46’), Enrique (23’), Joseph (35’)

Player of the match – Sam – Home debut, two goals, great work.