Milton Keynes Irish’s fine goal scoring form continued on Tuesday night after a 5-0 win over Tring Athletic.
After a tight opening the deadlock was broken late in the first half through Ty Ward’s penalty, scored after George Shrieves was fouled.
Ryan Smith extended the lead just after the break, curling in from distance before winning the penalty that Ty Ward converted to make it three.
The goalscoring was wrapped up late on by Mason Davis, scoring a poacher’s effort after a spill from the Tring keeper, and Shaheim Ward who put his name forward for goal of the season, scoring the cheekiest of backheel flicks after a stunning team move from Irish.
Irish’s first effort on goal came after 15 minutes, as Ty Ward found space on the edge of the box and looked to pass into the bottom left corner, rolling just past the post.
The home team were having to work a lot harder for chances compared the 9-0 mauling of Holmer Green on Saturday, but with 20 minutes gone they started to get some joy through George Shrieves down the right.
On three separate occasions he beat his defender and made space to cut a ball back into the box, each time so unluckily missing the advancing Irish attackers.
The two Masons then so nearly combined for the opening goal, as Davis, brought on to replace the injured Andre Olukanmi, got down the left and to the byline before crossing for Spence, who’s shot hit the post.
It had been a tight first half between two good sides, MK Irish had all of the chances but had failed to make it count so far – until an excellent piece of direct work from Shrieves helped find the breakthrough.
Picking the ball on the right wing and driving at the Tring defence, panic ensued from the away team and after beating the left back Shrieves was brought down and without hesitation the referee pointed at the spot.
Stepping up to take the spot kick was captain Ty Ward, calmly placing it down the middle of the goal to make it 1-0 and send Irish into the break with the lead.
Ty Ward converts the penalty and celebrates opening the scoring
Irish came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, and after just three minutes the lead was doubled.
It came through a trademark Ryan Smith strike, evading pressure on the edge of the box and working the ball onto that deadly left foot, whipping his shot into the far corner for 2-0.
Despite the fact it had been a close game, it was Irish that had the overwhelming majority of the ball and as the game wore on, Tring’s players appeared tired and that played into the home team’s hands as they began to assert dominance.
It all started to unravel for Tring as MK Irish were awarded their second penalty of the night.
Ryan Smith’s shot struck a hand and it was Ty Ward who took it again, firing into the bottom left corner convincingly, making it 3-0.
Mason Davis then got in on the act, capitalising on a spill from the keeper after a shot from Shrieves to turn it home from close range for 4-0.
The best goal of the night was saved until last.
Driving forwards with the ball from deep was Shaheim Ward, stepping out from his centre back position and gliding past a couple of challenges before laying it off to Callum Hirst.
Hirst sprayed a beautiful pass out wide to Shrieves, exploiting the gap between the centre back and left back. Shrieves then delivered a low cross into the box, where Shaheim Ward had continued his run and was found, and then audaciously backheeled an effort into the bottom left corner, wheeling away to celebrate a brilliant goal.
Shaheim Ward’s thoughts after another clean sheet and his first goal for the club
