Paul Hughes’ Hayes & Yeading reserve side travelled to Burnham for their first Capital League action in almost two months and despite fielding several debutants, including Joel Jacobs and George Isaac from the under 18s, they ran out comfortable winners.

On a dry dusty pitch, United were soon on the attack as Daniel Wishart got onto the end of a Jacobs centre in just the 6th minute, forcing home keeper Shaun Coker to push his effort around the post.

Wishart almost turned provider shortly after when he picked out Alex Sunasky on the edge of the area, his effort going just wide of the far post.

United keeper Simon Grant’s first call to arms came in the 21st minute when George Caulton got his head to a right wing cross but Grant comfortably plucked the ball from the air.

The deadlock was finally broken on 27 minutes and not surprisingly it was the visitors who found the net. Wishart flicked the ball on the Andre Gomez, who quickly returned it to United’s top scorer who fired into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

One quickly became two as Wishart netted his second, this time with a confident header from Gomez’s left wing centre. In fact Gomez himself could have put his own name on the score sheet minutes earlier when he fired wide after good work by Isaac on the flank.

Gomez again went close as the half drew to its conclusion, his dipping 20 yard effort just clearing the crossbar, much to Coker’s relief.

The third was not long coming and I missed it!! However I am reliably informed that it was our best goal of the night as Phil Appiah fired home an acrobatic overhead kick from 12 yards giving Coker no chance.

United continued to dominate and almost had a fourth with the two youth teamers involved. Jacobs in-swinging corner was nodded down to Isaac by Martin Merritt but the ball got stuck at the striker’s feet and Coker managed to smother it.

With twenty minutes remaining Matt Mooney did well to charge down an Anthony Morrison effort as he latched onto a low Wishart cross and then Burnham keeper Coker was well placed to grab onto an Alex Sunasky drive.

Sunasky was not be denied a debut goal though as just two minutes later he added United’s fourth.

Burnham’s two best chances of the game came courtesy of substitute Calvin Morgan. A quick burst through on goal five minutes from time was only foiled by a well timed Merritt tackle with Grant mopping up. Morgan was not to be denied though as he got a neat flick onto a free-kick from fellow substitute Max Kinsella which saw the ball lob over Grant and into the far corner of United’s goal.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Phil Appiah.