Captain Fantastic at the treble for league leaders Pelicans

Clinical Pelicans won 5-1 for the fifth time in 15 games this season to maintain their six-point lead at the top of East Men’s Division 1 North.Once again, the league leaders showed both sides to their game, ruthless in attack and virtually watertight at the back with the visitors only scoring a consolation goal from a short corner late on in the second half.Pelicans started strongly against their visitors, looking calm and composed on the ball with just that final piece of play missing in the early exchanges.They took the lead through captain Sam Phillips.Soon after, they doubled their lead through Ian Simons who slotted his shot brilliantly across the goalkeeper after good work from Jacob Craig.Phillips grabbed another one before half-time following good work from Sam Major, and his brother Jack, who turned the Kettering defence inside out before Phillips finished neatly.The second half saw a similar pattern but also saw Kettering put some pressure on the home side.The Page brothers, Iain and Chris, along with Major at the back stood firm, while Dan Upton was in a stubborn mood between the posts.Going forward, Kirwin Christoffels was in superb form and covered every inch of the pitch in a typically energetic performance.Phillips completed his hat-trick and netted his side’s fourth from another short corner which was won after good work from Miles Doncaster and Toby Phillips.Simons rounded off his excellent afternoon with his second and Pelicans’ fifth late on in the game after being set up by the tieless Harry Sampson.This weekend, Pelicans take on Norwich Dragons looking to keep their healthy advantage at the top of the league intact at the very least.4Way MoM: Ian Simons.