Paul Vines will take the plaudits as the Mead sparkled to the points on November 5th with three “bangers” of his own as three vital Ryman League points were claimed.

WIZZ – Vines slid the Mead in front on 29 minutes after Scott Kinch had released Aaron Rhule; WHOOP – he then doubled the lead eleven minutes into the second half from Ellis Green’s centre; BANG – before Vines completed his hat-trick on 79 minutes to seal the win.

There was even time for the sub Jeremiah Efe to sparkle come off the bench and capitalise on a dreadful Wroxham defending and was able to take advantage of a poor back pass to score in stoppage time his first goal for the club.

The Mead went into the game knowing that a fourth defeat in five would have seen Wroxham climbing off of the Division’s basement sending the home side down in their place. But to be fair to the side, whatever Tommy Warrilow had said in his pre match briefing worked to a treat, as Wroxham were blown away and condemned to a 12th defeat of the season already.

With new signing Leon Smith and Lewis Knight looking secure in the middle of a back four, the Mead in truth were rarely troubled but in the opening half hour only had a miss from Vines to show for a period of dominance.

Warrilow must have been beginning to fear that it might not be the Mead’s day, but he shouldn’t have worried as on the stroke of the half hour, Kinch did really well not only to win the ball in midfield, but also to ball Rhule in down the left with a perfectly weighted ball. Rhule sprinted away and as his driven cross eluded goalkeeper and defenders alike, Vines was on hand at the back post to roll home his ninth goal of the season.

Number ten arrived eleven minutes after the break when Green battled through down the right and crossed looking for Josh Oyinsan. Sadly Oyinsan couldn’t convert, but Vines could and the Mead had doubled their lead.

The only time that there was any real doubt arrived at the midway point of the half. A ball in to the Mead box wasn’t dealt with at all and Gilfedder was able to scramble the ball over the line.

Just for a moment, there was doubt, but the visitors weren’t able to take advantage and on 79 minutes the points were sealed and Vines had helped himself to a hat-trick! A free kick into the Wroxham box wasn’t cleared and with keeper Pride off of his line, the ball fell to the Mead’s top scorer on the edge of the box who duly drove the ball through a crowd of bodies and into the net.

Vines was given a heroes welcome as he took a deserved rest when Warrilow withdrew his number nine four minutes from time. There was barely time for him to get comfortable on the bench before Efe got the rewards for chasing a seeming lost cause as a mis-placed back-pass didn’t reach Pride before the long legs of the Mead sub who was able to literally walk the ball into the empty net.

With three of Thamesmead’s next four games at home, could this be just the kick-start that the Mead’s League season has been looking for? Time will tell…

THAMESMEAD – Tyler McCarthy, Harvey Brand, Jay Porter, Scott Kinch, Lewis Knight, Leon Smith, Ellis Green (Jack Mahoney 78), Paul Vines (Nathan Simpson 86), Josh Oyinsan (Jeremiah Efe 81), Aaron Rhule

Subs – Joe Denny and Joe Vines