Hayes & Yeading advanced to the first qualifying round of this season’s Buildbase FA Trophy with a 3-1 win over Barton Rovers that in the end was maybe not as comfortable as it looked at the break.
New signing Duncan Culley came in for his debut for United and signed on in style with a hat-trick, becoming the first player in United’s short history to achieve such a feat.
A quick start by United paid dividends as early as the 11th minute, Ismael Ehui collected the ball on the right side, his initial attempted cross was blocked back to him, he then rolled the ball to Rohdell Gordon who moved insdie Kieran Cathline before picking out Culley in the middle, the unmarked striker volleying home from close range.
Ten minutes later United and Culley had two, the striker moving away from his marker to meet a Danny Hutchins corner at the near post, although ‘keeper Adam Harpur got a hand to the ball he could not keep it out (below left).
Culley almost had another five minutes later when he moved on to an cross field pass, his first time strike going across the face of the Rovers goal and just wide of the far post.
Just after the half hour mark Rovers were a whisker from reducing the deficit when Salam Amoako intercepted a loose Ola Olajubu pass in the middle of the park, the Rovers midfielder attacking the box before curling an effort fractionally wide of the far post beyond Jack Smith’s dive.
Rovers went close again just before the break as a Jack Keating effort from distance sailed just wide of the United upright and the home side went in with a two goal advantage at the break.
Rovers started off the same as they had finished the first half, on the attack with James Varney testing Smith from range, the United stopper grabbing the ball at the second attempt. United launched an attack almost immediately with Culley collecting the ball on the right side of the box, he slipped past Cathline and tried to sneak the ball inside Harpur’s near post from a tight angle when a pull-back to an unmarked Ehui may have been the better option, the ball hitting the side netting.
Harpur then saved from an Ehui 20 yard effort before the visitors went as close as they had all afternoon on 64 minutes as Danny Watson advanced towards the United back-line and laid the ball off neatly to substitute Charlie Payne who fired past Smith only for his shot to come back off the face of the crossbar before being cleared.
Barton continued in the ascendancy, Smith held on to a flicked header by Jet Esso from a Payne centre and soon after Payne himself had another effort that went just the wrong side of the far post as United breathed a sigh of relief.
Culley almost netted his third when a Hutchins corner dropped at his feet six yards out, the striker being denied a shot by a well timed Payne tackle, the hat-trick was only denied for two minutes though as Culley chased down a lofted ball from the middle of the park, the striker having the presence of mind to note that Harpur had advanced off his line before lofting the ball over his head into the vacant net.
With United now in cruise control, a lapse of concentration saw the visitors strike once and go close to a second in stoppage time. The arrears were reduced in the second minute of added time, Gerado Smalldone being given far too much time and space in the area, the defender smashing the ball into the roof of the net.
Two minutes later Rovers almost had another which may have given United a sense of panic, Cathline received the ball in a similar manner to Smalldone minutes earlier just on the other side of the box, his drive also beat Smith only to be headed off the line by a well placed Hutchins and United moved into the next round where Premier Division side Chesham United will visit fortress SKYex.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Duncan Culley.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
