Tower brushed past Sporting Academics 10-0 to record their first win of the season in flybe Combination Division I.The three points lifts Dave Philpott’s young side from ninth to sixth while Accies stay rooted to the bottom after their fourth straight defeat.Pacy striker John Rutter proved he’s back to his best with five goals, including two penalties (giving him 15 for the season having scored in every game he’s played in), while Ross Goodchild, Chris Conning, Martin Higgins, Ben Ahier also scored, together with an own goal.Accies defender James Maher was sent off in the second period when he brought down Goodchild for a penalty, as he had done for the first spot kick earlier in the match.Tower boss Dave Philpott said: ‘I’m very pleased but if we’d have taken our chances it could have been a lot more.
‘We thought they might come at us but the tables were reversed.
We played within ourselves, showed a lot of composure on the ball and worked hard as a team.
‘I think we played better against Wanderers on Saturday and only got a point but last night they got the rewards which were long overdue.
I think we’ve shown a few of the doubters that we can compete against the best and we can perform against the latter teams as well.’Accies manager Tommy Kyle said: ‘Basically we didn’t play that well and they took their chances.
They kept playing the ball over the top, they had a lot of pace up front and we lost our heart a bit.’We went 5-0 down when James Maher was sent off and then we were really up against it.
We kept plugging away but the wind was knocked out of our sails by that time.
All credit to them, they deserved to win.’Kyle singled out his substitute goalkeeper Steve Godfrey for praise.
‘He had an excellent game and had it not been for him it could have been more,’ said Kyle.
‘It was one of those nights when nothing went for us.’Sporting Academics: Tony Spinola (Steve Godfrey 46), James Maher, Mark Knight, Paul Dubhthaigh, Gavin Margetts, Paul Lennon, Duarte Ferreira, Toni Cardoso, Noel Roche, Nelson Pinto (Manny Fernandes 50), James McBride (Paul Morin 60).
Cautioned: Roche, Margetts.
Sent off: Maher.First Tower: Casey Hickling, Matthew Swinburne, Peter Gough, James Prendergast, Scott Jones (Martin King 46), Chris Carter, Martin Higgins, Neil Langdon (Darren Munden 55), Chris Conning, John Rutter, Ross Goodchild (Ben Ahier 65).Officials: Barry Beuilly, Andy Bradshaw, Nick Parker.
