Season 2008-09

LEICESTER POLSKA recorded only their first opening day season win in four years when comfortably outclassing Niffy Rangers 5-2 at Horsewell Lane. And there was plenty to like about the win, with many new milestones on show. Firstly, Tom Lane was recording his 250th appearance for the club - only Rys Procinski has made more for Polska - whilst Chris Lewis was also returning to the club for the first time since April 2006. And Polska fielded four new debutants - Chris Cooper, Mark and Dave Ilnicki and Scott Morton. And Adam Dyke became the first player to score a hat trick on Polska's opening day of the season for at least 15 years. Indeed, it was Dyke who began the scoring after just 9 minutes, slotting home from just inside the area, before adding a second just 3 minutes later, when unleashing a shot into the roof of the Niffy net unchallenged. Niffy then pulled a goal back on 14 minutes when Ian Deacon took advantage of a Tom Lane error. Niffy then enjoyed a good spell of play upto half time. In the second half, Dyke completed his hat trick on 71 minutes when tapping a Dave Ilnicki effort into an empty net, which virtually put the game beyond doubt. Chris Cooper then scored on his Polska debut on 79 minutes - the first Polska player since Darren Wheeler last October to do so. Glen Sharman then took advantage of a deflection on 85 minutes to make it 4-2 before Chris Rudkin latched onto a through ball in the final minute to give Polska an impressive 5-2 win.

MATCH STATS:

Shots on target: POLSKA: 10 NIFFY: 3

Shots off target: POLSKA: 8 NIFFY: 6

Corners: POLSKA: 7 NIFFY: 6

Offside: POLSKA: 3 NIFFY: 0

Yellows: 0

Reds: 0