Hayes & Yeading got off to the perfect start at the Premier Plus Stadium against fellow strugglers St Neots Town with Ryan Hope netting after just 40 seconds, the lead however had to be protected twice by excellent Danny Boness saves before Paul and Ritchie’s side pretty much put the game to bed by half-time with two more clinical strikes.

The Gaffers made three changes from the side that were beaten on Monday evening at Hitchin, with Tom Broadbent, Cole Brown and Josh Hutchinson replacing Josh Chamberlain, Olu Durojaiye and Priestley Farquharson respectively. And as stated above it could not have been a better start for United, Mitchell Weiss received the ball on the left corner of the Saints box, he then rolled it in to Ryan Hope’s stride and he struck a low shot from 20 yards which flew under the outstretched arm of ‘keeper Alex Archer to nestle in the bottom corner.

Despite being stunned by the first minute strike, the Saints started to find some forward momentum of their own soon afterwards with Taylor Parr touching a testing Declan Rogers cross wide of the far post before Rogers himself raced on to a weak back header only to be denied by Danny Boness who was quickly off his line to block out the strikers’ shot, the United ‘keeper then showing excellent speed of thought to dive on the ball at the feet of James Hall.

On 15 minutes United carved out another opening when a Terence Carter cross was only partially cleared by Parr, Mitchell Weiss collected the ball and struck a volley that was deflected wide by an intercepting defender.

We reached the midway point in the half and United were again almost caught out when a ball over the top sent James Hall away on goal, he cut inside the challenge of Tom Broadbent only to also be denied by a good save from Boness with Rogers’ follow-up shot being cleared off the line by Manny Adebowale.

Within minutes it was home ‘keeper Archer who kept his side from going further behind when he stuck out a leg at the foot of his near post to keep out a Mahlondo Martin drive after he had been sent through by Weiss. United did however double the lead on 34 minutes. Carter collected the ball on the left, his acrobatic cross as the ball appeared to be going out of play took a touch off a defender and fell nicely to Josh Hutchinson who took a touch himself and fired past Archer.

United started to dominate now and Hope was denied by a fine Jonny Hall block after good approach play from Cole Brown and then with a minute to go until the break Hutchinson struck again. Brown ran at the left side of the Saints defence before sliding a neat pass perfectly into his strikers’ path, Hutchinson doing the rest by tucking the ball past the diving Archer (pictured left).

In stoppage time United did have one more scare at the back, Adebowale deflecting a goalbound Peter Clark effort wide of the far post.

With the game fairly much over as a contest at the break, it was no surprise really that chances were not as prevalent in the second half, although we did see three more goals and credit must be given to the home side as despite the deficit they never let their heads drop and were rewarded late in the game with a consolation penalty.

United however were buoyant and soon knocking on the door again. The impressive Brown got away down the right, his centre was fumbled by Archer who recovered quickly enough to block away Carter’s effort and his defence helped him out by hacking the ball clear.

Within a minute though Archer could do nothing as he was left exposed by his defence as Weiss advanced on to a neat Hutchinson through ball to slide it past the ‘keepers dive for United’s fourth and a deserved notch for the striker after his hard work in the first 45.

Five minutes later it was a case of roll reversal for United’s fifth, Brown centred from the right to Weiss who laid the ball off to his strike partner with Hutchinson curling the ball beyond Archer’s dive to complete an impressive hat-trick.

With just over fifteen minutes left on the watch, a needless trip on the bye-line saw referee Cartmel point to the spot and the Saints had the chance to deny Boness a deserved clean sheet, Hall took responsibility from 12 yards and duly sent Boness the wrong way to chalk up a consolation for the home side.

The final minutes saw United go close to another on two occasions. Hope and Weiss combined to feed Brown who took a touch and hit an angled drive that Archer did well to keep out with an outstretched boot and a minute later with Archer off his line, an audacious attempt by substitute Dylan Kearney from fully 40 yards only just missed the target with Archer scrambling backwards at pace.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Josh Hutchinson.