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Ashford Town (Mdx) 0
Hayes & Yeading Utd 1
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Both managers took the chance to give game time to some of their squad members in this 1st round Velocity Trophy tie at the Robert Parker Stadium with United making seven changes from their weekend starting XI while the Tangerines made eight changes to theirs.
The home side were to manufacture the first opening in just the third minute when Mark Bitmead latched onto a stray pass from the United defence, the weekend’s hat-trick scorer for the Tangerines testing James Shaw who did well to touch his drive around the post.
What was to become the only goal of the game came after just 10 minutes from United’s Hassan Jalloh who broke through two attempted tackles in the area while maintaining control of the ball before firing past ‘keeper Sam Mason who has just arrived at Ashford from Woking.
Seven minutes later Shaw was again required to deny Bitmead, this time the United stopper going full stretch to tip over a dipping 20 yard effort from the home striker.
Just a couple of minutes later, the United wall held firm to block out a Nebay Haile free-kick, the resultant clearance sending Lee Barney on his way at the other end, his shot from the edge of the box being pushed wide by Mason. The resultant Josh Chamberlain corner was headed over Mason by Roddy Collins only for a well placed Steven Loveridge to head the ball off the line.
The final fifteen minutes of the half saw a pair of good chances for United to extend the lead. Barney held the ball up well on the left side of the area before setting up Kaan Fehmi only for the striker to place his effort the wrong side of the post and then shortly after, a long raking Chamberlain pass sent Barney away, Mason did well to stand strong and force the striker wide and when he pulled the ball back there were no blue shirts around to fire home and the danger went away.
The final kick of the half saw a semi-opening for the hosts but Sammy Adams blazed high and wide from the edge of the box and United went in a goal to the good at the break.
Apart from a chance in the opening ten minutes of the second half for the home side when Warren Thomas poked the ball wide from six yards, the rest of the chances fell to United however none were to be converted.
Fehmi found Chamberlain on the left, his cross was met powerfully by the head of Lewis Toomey but his effort marginally cleared the crossbar of the Ashford goal. Chamberlain and Jalloh then combined to create another opening for Toomey but Saturday’s hat-trick scorer couldn’t find the target.
With less than fifteen minutes remaining, Fehmi set up a shooting chance for Jalloh but his 20 yard effort was a couple of inches too high. The final three minutes saw three more chances for United, Chamberlain surged upfield from the left and drove in a shot from just outside the box that flew across goal and wide and then two chances for a second of the game involved the impressive Jalloh.
On 89 minutes his forwards surge saw him roll the ball to Barney who as with Chamberlain minutes earlier, fired across the face of goal and wide and then deep into stoppage time, Jalloh again surged through the Tangerines defence, this time Mason blocked his initial effort before the United man fired the rebound into the side netting with referee Mr Gilroy bringing the tie to a close shortly after seeing United progress to round 2.
Report by Kevin Watts.
United Man of the Match: Hassan Jalloh.
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Ashford Town (Middlesex) |
Hayes & Yeading United |
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