AFTER a difficult start to the Weymouth Sunday League season, Sydney set their mark on this year’s Challenge Cup with a superb 6-1 victory over a well-formed Rendezvous side.

This thrilling encounter had all the workings of a classic cup tie, from hard challenges to elegant runs and superb goals.

The first 20 minutes looked as if this contest would be close with neither side able to break the deadlock.

However, a quick Sydney break saw winger Rian Harvey skim past the defender and cut inside to deliver a ball into the box.

Midfielder Noel Mackie was involved in a scuffle in the box before Josh Hall hammered the stray ball home to make it 1-0 at half-time to the travelling

side.

After various attempts in the second half, it was Harvey again who broke the Rendezvous defence down. He picked the ball up from Mackie on the outside of the box before piledriving home to the top-right hand corner of the goal.

Sydney appeared to take their foot off the gas after this goal. And to Sydney keeper Richards’ disappointment, allowed Rendezvous back into the game making it 2-1 thanks to Liam O’Shaugnessy’s strike.

This sniff of a potential comeback did not last long as Mackie grabbed his first of the game with a sterling run finished off by a class finish to place it past the keeper making it 3-1.

Sydney only got better from this point on and Hall grabbed his second of the game after a brilliant ball from Mackie, which fell at his feet before he slipped past the defender and sent the ball flying into the back of the net.

Despite a host of chances, winger Harvey was unable to find the back of the net again.

Micheal Golder also had various attempts on goal but it was

not to be for the prolific goalscorer.

While Mackie grabbed his second goal, credit was to be given to the Sydney back four who held a high and tight line to restrain Vouz from breaking again.

Sydney’s day was rounded off with a great bit of team play before Mackie glided past a defender to place the ball home claiming his first ever career hat-trick.

After the game, Sydney manager Rolfe said: “We played very strong as a team. Especially with our passing and talking.

“Players that stood out for me were Rian Harvey, who was strong on the ball and very unlucky not to have got a hat-trick. Craig and Noel for dominating the midfield all game and Noel grabbing his three goals.

“Michael held the ball up well for us. All in all, a great team effort.”

Finally, he praised man of the match Josh Hall for ‘being direct on the field and pushing forward to grab two goals’.

Sydney will go up against Poole in the next round of the cup as the Dorchester side try to move closer to the final.

Weymouth Sunday League, sponsored by Rendezvous: Arms 6; Famous Old Spa v Morden – Spa walkover

Fixtures: Wyke Workies v Wyke Smugglers (Marsh); Famous Old Spa v Rendezvous (Redlands); Gloucester v Market House (Redlands)