|
St Albans City 0
Hayes & Yeading Utd 1
|
|
HYUFC TV - Watch the highlights of this match here courtesy of FC Video |
Hayes & Yeading’s Vanarama Conference South campaign got off to a winning start at Clarence Park thanks to a fourteenth minute strike from stand in skipper Matty Harriott.
This was the first time in five Conference South campaigns that United have started the season with a victory, despite doing it 2 of 3 times in the top flight, so let’s hope this augers well for the season ahead.
The home side saw a fair bit of the ball early on but seemed to want to rely on the big punt forwards or a long throw from either side, both areas that United’s defence proved more than equipped to deal with. On 14 minutes United broke the deadlock when a
Calum Kitscha goal-kick is won in the air by Pat Cox who heads inside to Frankie Merrifield, his subsequent header sends Matty Harriott through on the Saints goal (below left) and he fires past Joe Welch’s outstretched hand into the bottom corner.
Eight minutes later Welch was beaten again, this time by Frankie Merrifield who rose above John Kyriacou at the far post to head home an Ashleigh Artwell cross only for referee Mr George to penalise the United man for climbing and chalk off the strike.
With the home side getting the ball down around the United box, it was former United striker Elliott Buchanan who saw the first real look at goal for the home side as he cut inside to his stronger left and hit a shot that would no doubt have troubled Calum Kitscha but for an excellent sliding block by Adam Everitt that deflected the ball wide.
Minutes later United debutant, and former Saint, Fabio Bufano was perfectly placed to get his head to a Darren Locke volley, the defenders header having just enough on it to clear the crossbar. The resultant corner was met in the centre by Loick Pires but his effort was off target.
Just before the break United were caught a little flat footed at the back for the first time, a deep return cross from yet another Exocet throw-in fell to the unmarked taker at the far post but Lee Chappell blazed his volley over the top.
First opening of the second period went to United, Everitt’s throw was neatly nodded down by Pat Cox to Dan Wishart who controlled the ball on his chest but could not keep his volley down and it shot over the Saints crossbar.
On the hour Kitscha had his only real bit of action in the game, mainly due to the superbly marshalled line in front of him, when he held onto a long range effort from Kyriacou who had been afforded a little too much space coming forwards from full-back.
Two more openings came as the game drew to its conclusion, one apiece. Artwell whipped in a low cross from the right that Cox got to before his marker but could not get enough purchase on the shot to trouble Welch and then in stoppage time at the other end Saints substitute Warren McBean received the ball on the edge of the United box only to drag his shot wide without troubling Kitscha.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Fabio Bufano.
|
St Albans City |
Hayes & Yeading United |
|
|