Hayes & Yeading provided a fitting performance for the Clubs competitive return to Middlesex cumulating in a 2-0 victory over Hitchin Town at the SKYex with goals from Lloyd Macklin and Jack Mills.

The opening 15 minutes were very much a testing each other out in midfield tussle with neither ‘keeper having to strain themselves too much.

Around the 20 minute mark this changed as both sides could have found the net. First came United, a Kamal Guthmy corner went low to the near post before being scrambled away and the visitors broke almost immediately with Yassin Moutaouakil doing well to block away a Matt Lench effort for a corner. The corner kick found former United man Mason Spence in the six yard box, his effort being blocked away by Louis Wells in the United goal.

Three minutes later Moutaouakil was well placed again, this time clearing a Lench effort off the line following a Lucas Kirkpatrick corner kick.

On 29 minutes United found the net for the first time in our new home. A long ball from the back dropped over the head of Dan Webb, Lloyd Macklin read the flight better and latched on to the loose ball, moving back inside and evading two challenges before firing past the Canaries ‘keeper Zak Barratt (shaping to fire home below left).

United almost got a lucky bounce shortly after taking the lead when an attempted clearance cannoned back off a teammate to Dylan Kearney, the young striker taking a touch before volleying wide of the target from 18 yards.

Three minutes before the break United’s players were convinced they had a second. Jack Mills saw a shot from distance deflected wide for a corner, Mills himself curled in the kick that appeared to directly cross the line before being pushed out by Barratt, sadly the assistant referee did not agree and play went on.

With a member of the Hitchin Management team sent from the dugout by referee Daniel Simpson for interfering with a United throw-in, stoppage time almost saw the home side extend the lead as Kearney chased and won the battle for the ball with Ben Walster and picked out strike partner Macklin, his shot going too near to Barratt who pushed it away.

Mickey Lewis’s side started the second period as well as they had ended the first, finally getting the second on 56 minutes. Guthmy made a surging run down the left before finding Macklin in the area, he shifted the ball right and picked out Mills and the midfielder, in his first competitive action for almost two years, fired the ball past Barratt from the edge of the box.

Walster went close from 20 yards for the visitors on the hour mark with a dipping drive that was just too high and then minutes later the Canaries should have reduced the deficit, substitute Stuart Pearson heading a deeply struck corner into the side netting of Wells’ goal.

Three minutes from time the Canaries went close again. Robbie Burns beat the wall from 20 yards with a free-kick but was denied by the diving Wells who pushed his effort away for a corner. The corner was played direct to Burns on the edge, this time his shot was cleared away off the line by Yannis Ambroisine.

Wells saved from Burns again midway through stoppage time before referee Simpson again had his red card out in the final seconds, dismissing United substitute Melford Simpson after a flare up in the far corner.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match:
Yassin Moutaouakil.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.

Sam Barker