Arlesey see off Corby with an early 12-minute blitz

All four goals came within the first 12 minutes of the game as both defences went missing at the start of the clash, before making amends during the rest of the encounter.

Before the game, Steel Park was buzzing with the news that Corby chairman Kevin Ingram had relinquished control of the club – and nothing that happened on the pitch could prevent that from still being the main topic of conversation afterwards.

With the season moving into its final week, Arlesey welcomed back Barry Hayles for the clash, while the Corby management again had to go through their list of contacts in order field a competitive team.

There was a place in goal for young Corby keeper Josh Carpenter, but his first action of the game was to pick the ball out of the back of the net.

There was barely a minute on the clock when Arlesey front man Hallelujah Basmel opened up the Steelmen defence far too easily to present former Jamaica international Hayles with one of the simplest goals of his long career.

To their credit, Corby shrugged off this early set-back to draw level in the eighth minute with a goal of real quality.

As Sam Ives took the ball towards the edge of the Arlesey box he spotted Aidan Grant off his line and his delightful chip floated over the goalkeeper and dropped into the net for a magnificent equaliser.

At this stage Arlesey’s Jonny McNamara was being given the freedom of the right wing and he took full advantage to restore his team’s lead in the 11th minute.

The wide man made good use of the space afforded to him as he received a ball and moved forward before hitting a shot from about 20 yards that bounced over the diving keeper and into the net for 2-1.

And just 60 seconds later, the Corby defence again went missing– allowing Basmel to put Arlesey two goals in front.

Another ball forward fed Basmel into the box and the big forward beat his defender before hitting a shot that beat Carpenter to put the away side 3-1 ahead with just 12 minutes on the clock.

A real goal feast looked on the cards at that point and no-one would have imagined that there was to be no further scoring – but that was how it turned out.

Hayles hit a venomous shot that skimmed narrowly over the bar, while Basmel came close again with an effort that clipped the post on its way out.

Overall it was a good away win for Arlesey and a sturdy, workmanlike performance all round against a poor Corby team. It was also a game that they could have won by five or six clear goals after the blistering start.

Next up is Arlesey’s last game of the season, away at Poole Town on Saturday afternoon.