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Gosport Borough 1
Hayes & Yeading Utd 0
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On a foul evening, down in Hampshire, United fell to a fifth successive league defeat, at the hands of Gosport Borough.
The Gaffer made no less than six changes to the starting XI, from the team that started proceedings at Boreham Wood last Saturday. Grant Smith returning in goal, with Callum Kitscha dropping to the bench. Matt Ruby & Gary MacDonald returning in defence and midfield respectively. The former, deputising for the flu stricken Dean Inman. Mason Spence & Jack Mills, both slotting into midfield roles and Nathan Elder preferred up front to Isaac Layne.
The game itself was played in very unpleasant conditions, as strong winds and driving rain, made sure that skill level, was at a premium throughout the game. The match started quietly, as the two sides battled against the elements, for the opening ten minutes or so.
The first chance of note came after 13 minutes, when a goalmouth scramble in the United six yard box, finally came to nothing.
Twenty minutes in, the home side had the ball in the net, but to their dismay, the referee disallowed the "goal" for a foul on Grant Smith. Just two minutes later, a shot from distance by home striker Matt Paterson flew just wide of United's left hand post.
On the 25 minute mark, another strike, this time from Borough's Danny Smith, was well saved by his namesake in the United goal. The home side continued to fashion most of the chances that were on offer, as both teams battled against the deteriorating conditions. Soon after, Adam Wilde hit a speculative effort for the home side, which sailed past the left hand upright.
32 Minutes had elapsed on the clock when Paterson stabbed the ball home from close range, to give the home side the lead.
The hosts continued to pour forwards in search of a second goal. Justin Bennett unleashed a shot, which Adam Everitt did well to block, at the expense of a corner.
Six minutes before the break, United had a strong penalty appeal turned down by the referee, after Mason Spence looked to have been felled in his tracks, by a home defender. The official, waving away United's protests.
Conditions began to worsen as the second half got underway, with the wind blowing harder, and the rain getting heavier. United began to come more into the game after the break, and within five minutes of the restart, a Gary MacDonald corner was headed on at the near post by Spence, which Nathan Ashmore in the home goal did well to tip over at full stretch.
Just two minutes later, a cross from the impressive Spence travelled right along the home sides six yard box, but Nathan Elder, was unable to make the neccescary connection, to divert the ball into the net.
The game then decended into a midfield battle with no real goalmouth action to speak of until 14 minutes from time, when Gosports' Danny Smith had a long range effort easily saved.
The two sides huffed & puffed their way through the remaining quarter of an hour, but without any real conviction.
Four minutes of added time bought no further incident and the game finished with the home team happy and the away team and their seven travelling supporters not so.
Report by Mick Nile.
United Man of the Match: Grant Smith.
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Gosport Borough |
Hayes & Yeading United |
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Adam Everitt 
