Hayes & Yeading United’s reserve team enjoyed a very straightforward victory over Hitchin Town to improve their chances of retaining the Capital League title.
New signing and Latvian international Andrejs Štolcers wasted no time in displaying his talents as he collected Staforde Palmer’s pass and cut inside from the right flank hitting a dipping shot which flew just past the far post.
A fine move down the left saw Daniel Wishart and Toby Little combining, the latter crossing for Scott Fitzgerald who was just off target at the near post.
Hitchin counter attacked as Peter Dean found Zak Burke, but although he had to retreat, Chris Baker was able to reach the forward’s lofted long shot.
The home side took a deserved lead in the 24th minute when Fitzgerald beat the offside trap chasing a long throughball which was flicked on by Palmer and rounded keeper Kyle Forster before steadying himself and firing past the last Hitchin defender on the line.
Forster was able to keep out Wishart after the young winger cut inside from the left to create space to shoot. However, moments later, he was picking the ball out of the net again as Daniel Mehmet played a well measured pass through to Palmer who used his pace to get clear and fire the ball past the Canaries keeper.
Dean fired well wide for Hitchin following a quick break away but United were three up before the break. A Little corner was fumbled by Forster and Wishart was on hand to finish from close range.
Forster distinguished himself better at the start of the second half when he produced a fine save to keep out Palmer’s shot after more good work from Little on the left, but he was powerless to stop Richard Langley’s ferocious free kick which flew into the top corner in the 65th minute.
Soon afterwards, it was 5-0 when quick thinking from right back Nathan Webb saw him play a free-kick while Hitchin were regrouping and Palmer was able to power the ball home via a deflection off Nyasha Shenete.
Josh Andrew replaced Štolcers and seemed determined to punish Hitchin further. His one two with Palmer following Wishart’s cross allowed him space to shoot but Forster stretched to keep his low shot out. Then late on Forster tipped Wishart’s long shot wide before Andrew set up fellow substitute Robert Gradwell who was also denied by Forster. From the resulting corner, as the Hitchin defence struggled to clear their lines, Palmer had a chance for a hat-trick but Sam Pemberton was well positioned to clear off the line.
It wasn’t to matter however, as United had already cruised to a comfortable victory.
Report by Nick Bell.
Website United Man of the Match: Daniel Wishart.
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