Cam Bulldogs 6 St Marks 2

NO better has the old adage about goals bringing confidence been more clearly illustrated than at Cam on Saturday as the home side came from behind to convincingly beat St Marks.

For nearly an hour the Bulldogs played like a disorganised rabble, allowing their lowly visitors to enjoy the better of the game.

However, soon after the home side had pulled themselves level, the whole complexion of the match was changed by the most horrible of errors from the St Marks goalkeeper and Cam never looked back.

The difficult pitch meant that neither side distinguished themselves in a poor opening half-hour.

The visitors were afforded several shots on goal, none of which caused home goalkeeper Ben Jagger to extend himself, while at the other end a 20-yard effort from Joe Iatalese was easily saved.

As the half wore on though, the Bulldogs began to give the ball away with alarming frequency and they paid the price two minutes before the break.

A St Marks striker broke from halfway, cut inside Cam player-manager Stuart Grimwood and cracked in a shot from the edge of the area that Jagger got a good hand on but could not keep out.

The second half was a much more wide open affair from the start and the visitors were playing the better football until the Bulldogs fashioned a fine equaliser. Iatalese's precision pass found Loz Dorman inside the box and his right-wing pull back gave Kris Pritlove a tap-in.

Despite the goal the home side were still putting themselves under pressure and would have conceded soon afterwards but for a crucial slip by a forward with the goal at his mercy.

Just short of the hour though, St Marks presented Cam with an absolute gift to go ahead.

Jer Coburn turned a right-wing cross goalwards with little power, but instead of diving on the ball, the goalkeeper inexplicably tried to control it with his feet, trod on it, fell over and allowed Coburn to slide the loose ball home.

The error shot the visitors' confidence to pieces and two minutes later Dorman went clean through to lift the ball over the advancing goalkeeper and put his side 3-1 up.

Cam added a fourth shortly afterwards when Coburn was bundled to the ground inside the area and Jack Barnfield tucked away the spot kick.

St Marks had fallen apart and were let off the hook several times as the Bulldogs frequently overplayed, while a plethora of Dorman shots were either blocked or went over the bar.

For a few minutes it even looked like the visitors could rally when a shot from the edge of the area was intercepted and turned past Jagger from close range.

However, Cam restored their three-goal lead just two minutes later as Pritlove headed a Dorman corner in at the near post.

Pritlove then completed his first senior hat-trick by powerfully drilling a right-wing cross into the net from 12 yards with five minutes remaining.

Afterwards Grimwood said: "I'm pleased to have won, but we can't afford to play like we did in the first half against the better teams in this league."

Cam: B Jagger, S Grimwood, S Penny, B Price, J Iatalese (P Jagger 75), I Cheshire, D McIntosh, K Pritlove, J Barnfield, J Coburn (P Holder 68), L Dorman. Unused subs: S Clune, K Watson (gk).

Goals: Pritlove (50,80,85), Coburn (58), Dorman (60), Barnfield pen (65).

l Tomorrow Cam are at home to Warden Hill United (2.30 kick-off).