Big win for Legends!

Paul McVeigh put on a four-goal masterclass as the Spurs Legends side thrashed a Colebrook Select XI 8-1 in Chigwell on Sunday (April 5).

The former Northern Ireland international netted twice either side of half-time as the team of ex-White Hart Lane players secured a comfortable win at The Grange – home of Colebrook Royals FC.

Tony Galvin, a member of our successful side of the early-1980s, made his first playing appearance for the Legends side since September, 2013, while central midfielder Stephen Clemence also came into the starting line-up.

There were a few famous faces in the Colebrook side as well, with stand-up comedian Terry Alderton in goal and TV and radio star Mark Wright in midfield.

There was an early scare for the visitors when Stuart Nethercott’s clearance hit Mark Falco and rebounded into a dangerous area, but the subsequent shot went over the bar.

Mark Gower opened the scoring in the fourth minute, latching onto a cross-field pass from McVeigh and hooking the ball in from a tight angle on the right.

Goalkeeper Gareth Howells made two good saves – the first one following a fierce shot from Wright – before McVeigh fired in from six yards for 2-0 following Falco’s cut-back on 15 minutes.

Keeper Howells, whose brother David was in action in midfield, denied Wright again with Nethercott forced into making a goal-line clearance from the rebound, before Kevin Watson picked out Andy Sinton on the edge of the box to find the top corner with 26 minutes gone.

Falco and McVeigh both sent efforts wide, the latter then making it 4-0 when he exchanged passes with Sinton in the box and chipped keeper Alderton eight minutes before the break.

The Legends made changes at the break, defender Brian Statham replacing John Lacy at right-back and guest player Ralf Little taking Falco’s place.

But the goals kept coming in plentiful supply, Sinton sending McVeigh through one-on-one with the keeper to complete his hat-trick three minutes after the restart with the ex-Norwich City man grabbing his fourth – and the Legends’ sixth – 10 minutes later when he lashed home at the near post.

Both sides then hit the woodwork before Watson’s chipped effort from 22 yards bounced down off the crossbar and presented Gower with the opportunity to rifle home number seven from the right side of the box in the 78th minute.

Substitute Trevor Wilkinson headed straight at Alderton following a good right-wing cross from Statham, but the forward made no mistake when he ran through in the box and exhibited some tidy footwork before striking into the centre of the net to make it 8-0 in the 82nd minute.

Colebrook grabbed a consolation goal two minutes from time when Jimmy Kane capitalised on a defensive mix-up to find the net via the far post.

Spurs: Gareth Howells, John Lacy, Tony Galvin, Kevin Watson, Stuart Nethercott, David Howells, Mark Gower, Stephen Clemence, Paul McVeigh, Andy Sinton, Mark Falco. Substitutes and guest players: Brian Statham, Mark Stimson, Ralf Little, Andy Edmonds, Trevor Wilkinson, Micky Southam, Micky Jarrett.