HARWOODS ISLAND LEAGUE DIVISION 1

                                         RYDE SAINTS 7, VENTNOR 0

“WE SCORED seven, but it should’ve been 17,” said delighted Ryde Saints manager, Andy Brown — and he was not exaggerating after they hammered a desperately poor Ventnor side.

Had the sky blues had an Oli Wilson, a Josh Appell or a Pete Wilson in their forward ranks, Saturday’s scoreline would have looked a whole lot different.

In fact, Saints should have hit more than 20!

Ventnor held their own for the first 20 minutes, without looking a threat.

Isle of Wight County Press: Most of the action was in the Ventnor penalty box all game.Most of the action was in the Ventnor penalty box all game.

Coner Lyon squandered a great early chance when he shot at Ventnor keeper Matt Gifford, rather than squared it for a simple tap in.

After more wasted efforts, LYON made amends on 28 minutes when he controlled a long cross-field ball into the box and placed it in the far corner.

Forty seconds later, Ventnor, reeling from the opening goal, went to sleep at the back and conceded a second when a Khi O’Neill shot was saved and LYON followed up to blast it home.

Isle of Wight County Press: Coner Lyon, far right, scores the second goal for Ryde Saints.Coner Lyon, far right, scores the second goal for Ryde Saints.

Ventnor looked shellshocked and Ryde were rampant, with the excellent Cian McGee running the yellows ragged down the left.

He created two gilt-edged chances for O’Neill, who somehow missed.

But McGee was brought down in the 40th minute and LYON stepped up to score his hat-trick.

Isle of Wight County Press: Ryde Saints striker Coner Lyon scores from the penalty spot for his first half hat-trick. Ryde Saints striker Coner Lyon scores from the penalty spot for his first half hat-trick.

Things got worse for Ventnor just before half-time when Simon Crates was red carded for a second bookable offence — recklessly hacking down a Saints player when there was no danger of a fourth goal.

Five minutes after the restart, a long ball found O’NEILL in acres of space in the box and his scuffed shot went in off the post for 4-0.

Ventnor had clearly thrown in the towel, with Ryde creating clear-cut chances at will — missing nine of them in almost as many minutes, with O’Neill the biggest culprit fluffing six of them.

Isle of Wight County Press: Action in the Ventnor goalmouth.Action in the Ventnor goalmouth.

It was not until the 70th minute the Saints finally scored their fifth — the Ventnor defence stood like statues as Sam CANT waltzed through them to slot home past the helpless Gifford.

Ventnor defender Jack Croad was lucky not to get a straight red for swinging a punch at Jack Burgess, but inexplicably the referee did not see the incident, which went on for about half a minute.

Then a Sid Lever injury saw Ventnor reduced to nine, with no subs to call upon.

After O’Neill missed his easiest chance of all, tripping over his own feet, Lyon squandered one of Ryde’s countless one-on-ones with Gifford.

Isle of Wight County Press: Ventnor keeper Matt Gifford was kept busy against Ryde Saints.Ventnor keeper Matt Gifford was kept busy against Ryde Saints.

But Lyon was provider on 80 minutes when he squared the ball for McGEE to tap in.

Saints still had time to miss two more simple opportunities from O’Neill and Lyon before RIMMER was hauled down for a spot kick, which he took and scored from to round off the afternoon’s scoring.

Isle of Wight County Press: Ryde Saints forward Khi O'Neill scored one, but missed countless chances throughout the game.Ryde Saints forward Khi O'Neill scored one, but missed countless chances throughout the game.

Ryde Saints: Young, Sweet (capt), Burgess, Cowburn, Holton, Dunnett, O’Neill, Cant, Rimmer, Lyon, McGee. Subs: Hallett, Vaughan, Southcott.

Ventnor: Gifford, Croad, Kettle, Pomroy, Crates, Franklin, Brown, Punter, H.Mulholland, Creighton, Lever. No subs.