Hayes & Yeading United cruised past Oxford City to open up a seven point gap at the top of the Allied Counties League Premier Division.
The game started frantically and in the 5 th minute, after Oxford goalkeeper Michael Anderson had fumbled a high ball, Portuguese debutant Ivan Dju lobbed the ball back over his head and into the vacant net behind him.
Oxford City caught United defenders cold soon afterwards and Felipe Barcelos was given the freedom of the penalty area to fire a low shot in underneath the exposed Alex Tokarczyk.
United restored their lead just seven minutes later when Mark Goodman rounded Anderson and fired the ball in between the two retreating defenders on the line. Goodman set up Joakim Ehui soon afterwards but the French forward’s shot was charged down by Craig Duncan.
After such an explosive start, the match hit a real lull and it wasn’t until the 33 rd minute that anything noteworthy happened. That just happened to be United’s third goal as Abdula Nsubuga’s searching ball forward was latched onto by Goodman who who beat James Harris before crossing for Daniel Wishart to head home back across the diving Anderson.
Dean Worman combined with Goodman on the right to set up Ehui whose shot went across goal just missing the far post. Then Goodman himself had a shot as Duncan miskicked a clearance but Anderson was able to gather in his shot.
The first minute of the second half saw United straight back into an attacking mode. Wishart cut the ball back for Ehui but his shot was blocked by Kieran Collins. Nsubuga’s shot looked easy for Anderson but he dropped the spinning ball and Goodman took a shot at goal which Collins cleared. The ball landed nicely for Ashley Barnes whose shot was tipped wide by Anderson.
Wishart hit a long range free kick which Anderson gathered in at the second attempt before Barnes played in substitute Jake Lovell who hit the ball wide from a good position.
Another substitute, Jack Todd made it 4-1 on 66 minutes. Following a smart one two with Dju, he cut inside and fired an unstoppable shot past Anderson. United’s attacking play was relentless. Collins cleared Goodman’s corner from the danger area but Dju hit a shot through the crowded penalty area and Anderson just about kept it out.
Minutes later, it was 5-1. Top scorer Lovell finished off a sublime move involving one touch passing between Reece Fleary, Dju and Todd off the base of the post.
Immediately, more pressure was heaped onto the Oxford defence, as Abdi Hamadi’s long ball set Dju clear and his shot beat Anderson all ends up but cruelly cannoned back off the post.
Goodman fired over from Lovell’s pass and Anderson made a diving stop from Lovell after Dju had won a drop ball and he’d carried the ball into the area unchallenged.
Lovell could have scored again after Todd had flicked on Tokarczyk’s long clearance but he skewed his shot across the face of goal. Then Dju’s pass to Todd stet up yet another chance which again flew just wide of the post.
Wave after wave of attack came towards the end, with Anderson pulling a particularly smart save off from Goodman’s shot. In the end, United did add one more as Todd volleyed a loose ball into the bottom corner after Lovell had been dispossessed by Aaron Davis.
Report by Nick Bell.
Website United Man of the Match: Mark Goodman.
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