Hayes & Yeading’s reserve side earned maximum points on Monday evening at Beaconsfield Road as a United side that mixed youth with first team squad members saw off Walton & Hersham 6-2 in the Capital League.
The home side opened the scoring as early as the ninth minute. Rhys Murrell-Williamson started the advance from midfield, played the ball left to Dan Wishart who outpaced Sion Blackwood before setting up Ashleigh Artwell for a tap in.
Six minutes later United doubled the lead, Affy Obafemi picked out Murrell-Williamson, he in turn exchanged passes with Artwell before running through and slotting the ball past Walton ‘keeper Liam Harper.
Harper then saved from Cliff Akurang before United netted twice more in 60 seconds. Artwell collected the ball and moved towards the Walton box before playing in Obafemi who despite falling managed to guide the ball into the bottom corner.
Almost immediately from the re-start, a long ball up the middle from skipper Luke Bersey saw Obafemi read the bounce better and as the ball cleared the last defender the United striker ran through on goal only to be unceremoniously dragged to the ground just inside the box by Marvin McLean who amazingly was not dismissed or even cautioned. Akurang took responsibility from the spot and duly sent Harper the wrong way.
United continued to push for more, Akurang flicked on to Obafemi only for Harper to block away his effort and then a swift United move was started by Bersey who played the ball down the line to Obafemi who found Akurang, his centre founds its way back to Obafemi who saw his first effort blocked with his follow up coming back off the upright.
The final effort of the half saw United ‘keeper Grant Smith finally having some action as he went full stretch to his left to push away a deflected Dylan Cascoe shot after Bersey had blocked his initial effort.
Harper was again in action just 2 minutes into the second half, tipping an Akurang drive from the edge of the box over the top.
In the 53rd minute United scored number five when Murrell-Williamson collected the ball just inside the Swans half and raced down the right before cutting inside and slamming a left foot shot low into the bottom corner.
With United adding to the 16 year old contingent on the pitch with a couple of substitutions, the visitors started to push forwards looking to get on the scoresheet as Smith saved well at close range from Duncan Capriotti before Cascoe was just inches too high with a well hit volley.
Two minutes later Cascoe did get his name on the scoresheet when he latched onto a corner from the right and blasted the ball home off the underside of the crossbar.
Paul Hodges then went close for the Swans before United went even closer when Akurang rose to meet a Rico Luis centre only for his header to come back off the inside of the post into Harper’s arms.
Within a minute United substitute Dylan Kearney had forced another save out of Harper, forcing him to tip over after the United youngster had received the ball from Obafemi.
Two more goals, one apiece, came in the dying moments of a thoroughly entertaining game. Luke Martin reduced the arrears in the 86th minute as he beat Smith with a neat shot on the turn inside the box and then in stoppage time Murrell-Williams completed his first career hat-trick when he collected the ball from Artwell and again cut inside from the right and drilled another shot into the same bottom corner as his previous effort.
A fine win for United who ended the match with four 16 year-olds from our Academy on the pitch which gives them good experience of playing with the more established first team squad members.
Report by Kevin Watts.
United Man of the Match: Rhys Murrell-Williamson.
