Stretford Paddock returned to form in scintillating fashion as they dispatched Abacus Media 8-3 in their final home game of the season, a performance of energy and freedom, two things that have been a staple of all the better performances of Paddock this season. Howson couldn’t have asked for a better showing in the penultimate game of the season, convincingly beating one of the stronger teams in the league.

The main takeaway from the game were the quality of the goals, as at least two of the goals scored were goal of the season contenders in an attacking masterclass from the Paddock players. Much of the talk going into the game was star man Kieron Molloy and his urge to break Josh Smith’s all-time leading goal scorer record, and that’s exactly what he did; he didn’t just break the record, he shattered it. As he walked away with the match ball after a clinical display, notching his first hat-trick for the club and encapsulating what has been a stellar individual season. The game also saw a sensational solo effort from Mikey Burke and a screamer from Cam Watters from the edge of the area, undoubtedly two of the best goals this season and were illustrative of the confidence Paddock played with throughout the game. Joao Andrade also capped off a strong performance with a brace, rewarded for his energy and endeavour in what was a very complete attacking performance from the team, with the only disappointment being the goals that were conceded, all of which were avoidable as Gimenez was at fault for the goals.

It was a day that also saw the debuts of Nico McGrath, Joe Kelly and Josh Hollobon as more and more new faces are expected going into the new season as Stretford Paddock continue to expand and improve, with big things anticipated within the next 18 months. It’s a club that continues to build and will look to continue its way up the football pyramid.