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Baldwin grabs debut hat trick as Blues run riot

Rock A Nore 0 - 4 Sidley United - ESFL Premier Division

Sean Baldwin had a Sidley United debut to remember, grabbing a hat trick at basement side Rock A Nore as Blues claimed a comfortable win.

A shortage of available defenders saw Chris Sanderson starting at right back while Jordan Cole stepped into midfield.

Rock A Nore were humiliated 20 - 0 by Robertsbridge United in their last outing and they set out determined to avoid a repeat. Sidley took a while to get going after the Christmas break but soon took the initiative with Baldwin having an early effort ruled out for offside and Arron Scrace hitting the post. But Blues did break through on 24 minutes as Baldwin headed in from a corner which had been headed on across goal. 

Sidley were unable to add to their tally in the first half as the game became increasingly fractious with the home side picking up numerous bookings but it always appeared a case of when, not if, more goals arrived for the visitors.

Baldwin scored his and Sidley's second on 57 minutes and Scrace added a third 3 minutes later to put the Blues firmly in charge. Sanderson then moved further forward as Sidley dominated the ball. Baldwin was denied another goal in a bizarre incident when he turned the ball past the goalkeeper and through a hole in the net. The referee was not in a position to see if the ball had passed between the posts or gone wide so he asked the home linesman who indicated that he was also not sure so the goal could not be given.

However Baldwin was not to be denied and he claimed his hat trick on 83 minutes with another well taken goal to add gloss to the scoreline. Three points, a clean sheet and three goals from their new signing gave Sidley a positive start to 2017. However the match itself was not the prettiest with Rock a Nore picking up 7 yellow cards in total.

With this win, Sidley moved up to third in the table and next week they host Old Hastonians.

Sidley Team: Rogers, Sanderson, Day, Copley, Cole, Carey, O'Callaghan (Brockhurst), Baldwin (O'Reilly), Elphick, Bailey, Scrace.

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