Luc Boyall’s hat-trick powers Northwood to victory over Clifton
Luc Boyall scored an outstanding hat-trick to help Northwood clinch a 4-1 victory over Clifton College in their Friday Nite Lights clash at Northwood. Taylon Goowin helped solidify the victory with a fourth goal.
The win was much-needed for the Knights, who headed into the contest having lost 3-5 to Hilton College at Northwood last weekend.
They wanted to reassure their supporters that their turf was not a place where visiting teams could have their way with them. They needed a statement-making victory, and they delivered.
“I am really proud of the boys. Clifton is always a tough fixture for us. They beat us last year, so beating them this time around was good,” coach Justin Collins told Supersport Schools Plus.
Clifton, on the other hand, arrived at Northwood hoping to improve on last week’s result, a 4-4 draw with St Charles College in which Clifton captain Zach Williamson bagged a hat-trick.
Last week’s results and the score from their last fixture counted against Northwood, and they were also challenged by their inability to consistently train throughout the week because of exams. But Collins made the best of the little time they had together and drilled his charges in a different approach, designed to counter Clifton’s threats.
The adapted game plan reaped dividends. Northwood struck first and they did so early, with Boyall opening the scoring in the fifth minute. After receiving a pass around the halfway line, he drove into the Clifton circle, where he uncorked a powerful shot past Clifton and KZN Coastal u18A goalkeeper, Georg Wolhuter.
The sides launched offensive moves into each other’s half, but none reaped rewards for the remainder of the first half, leaving the home team with a narrow 1-0 advantage midway through the contest.
“It was actually a close game for long periods,” Collins said.
Nine minutes into the second half, Northwood finally put some daylight between them and Clifton when, after three retakes at a penalty corner, they hit paydirt. That goal tilted the match in their favour, and they enjoyed long phases of possession.
Clifton, though, clawed their way back into the match and controlled the ball for significant periods in Northwood’s half. The Knights, though, stretched their lead to three goals.
To their credit, Clifton’s fire continued to burn brightly, and they pulled one back, but it was too little too late from coach Calvin Price‘s charges.
In the final minute, Northwood rubbed some salt in the visitors’ wounds by delivering a killer blow to end with a convincing win.
Result
Northwood 4-1 Clifton
