HIGHGATE suffered their heaviest loss of the season on Saturday after suffering a 7-3 defeat on the road at in-form Lye Town in the Midland Premier Division.
The home side raced to a 4-0 lead after just 25 minutes and although Gate pulled two goals back but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
A depleted Gate side won a couple of early corners from which neither Lei Brown or Scott Turner could direct headers goalwards, while Brad Hayward was called into action with an excellent save from Stourbridge loanee Ryan Rowe.
Connor Mooney continued what had been a positive start for his side by winning a third corner but again nobody made the most of it.
The opening goal after eight minutes came when Dreniz Bala delivered the perfect cross which was headed in by Rowe and Gate conceded for a second time just a minute later when Rowe spotted Hayward off his line to lob the keeper from all of 30 yards.
Alex Dallinson headed in number three from a left wing corner with Gate’s porous looking defence being opened up at will and at the other end Turner stretched at the far post but was unable to get a final touch on Cole’s free kick.
Brown curled an effort over the bar then despatched a free kick into the box which was struck by Dale Taylor into keeper Jake Bedford’s hands as the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the game so far.
But that was spoiled when in the 25th minute Ben Billingham’s low drive beat Hayward at the keeper’s left hand post.
Remarkably with the home defence appearing equally vulnerable two goals were pulled back in quick succession. Mooney set up Brown off Turner’s headed pass for a 32nd minute shot which bent into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Three minutes later Lye centre half Adam Meacham handled Tom Lacey’s cross for Taylor to step up and convert the resulting spot kick.
But all the good work was to prove in vain when in 37th minute Bala was allowed to waltz through unchallenged to slot home and give the hosts an unassailable 5-2 half-time lead.
For the visitors the second half was to prove a damage limitation exercise but Lye were strong in the attack and it was no surprise when Bala’s pace set him free for the easiest of 56th minute goals.
Two minutes later came what might arguably be described as the best goal of the game with King reducing the arrears with an unstoppable volley directly off Lacey’s corner from the left hand side.
But things were to get worse though on what had proved to be an afternoon to forget when in the dying minutes both Brown and Nathan Pulisciano received red cards for second bookable offences and Gate went home with their tail between their legs after such a humiliating defeat.
On Saturday Highgate are at home to Boldmere St Michael and on Tuesday evening they entertain Rocester.
