Young Rams attacker Sam Shepherd scored a hat-trick for the Premier Rams.
Story & photo Dogwhistle
Byron Bay’s Northern Hotel Rams continue to dominate the Football Far North Coast championships with both Reserve Grade and Premier League teams scoring emphatic victories over battlers Casino on Saturday.
The Rams Reserves once again ran rampant over the young Casino side, with only the bumpy pitch keeping the Byron boys from racking up double figures.
Striker Will Ennis added five goals to his season tally and Herick Schuenemann, James Tomlinson, Hari Scott and Adam Nochomovitz bagged one apiece to take the final score to 9–0. The Reserves top the table with an impressive tally of 78 goals with only four goals against them.
Despite the absence of some key players, the Premier League Rams were equally convincing, applying their trademark ‘massive attack’ from the opening whistle. The Cobras fought back with some valiant counters, but were no match for the polished Rams outfit.
Sam Owens put the Rams on the scoreboard ten minutes in with a cracking strike. Eight minutes later, Alex Kempnich crossed to Aaron Walker who deftly laid off to Sam Shepherd for a blistering finish and goal number two. Five minutes into the second half and, after some slick combination work from the Rams, Shepherd battled his way across the Casino backline and drove home the Rams’ third goal. The Rams kept up the pressure and, with plenty of pace and one-touch play, had the Cobras reeling. A well-placed corner set, a goal-mouth skirmish and a powerful strike from James Tomlinson made it 4–0. Moments later, a Sam Owens cross was played on to Sam Shepherd by Aaron Walker. The Casino keeper got a hand to Shepherd’s light touch shot only to have the deflection tapped in by Hari Scott 5–0. Shepherd completed his hat-trick shortly before full-time to round out the final score to 6-0. Despite herculean efforts, Rams’ striker Aaron Walker had ‘one-of-those-games’ and couldn’t find the net. Byron’s staff shortage saw several players pulling double shifts, including Hari Scott and James Tomlinson who managed to score in both games.
The Rams get a break over Splendour weekend and take to the pitch at the Rec Grounds on Saturday, July 29 against Lismore’s Italo Stars.
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