In the picturesque setting of the New Forest, Paul Hughes’ Hayes & Yeading side travelled for a pre-season friendly against Wessex Leaguers Brockenhurst on a hot Saturday afternoon in July.

United could not have got off to a better start, taking just 59 seconds to open the scoring as Jack Roper laid the ball off to Scott Bridges, the United midfielder crashing the ball home from fully 25 yards leaving the hosts ‘keeper clawing at air as the ball shot into the top corner of the Badgers net.

The United lead was soon doubled with former under 18s skipper Roper again involved, this time the young midfielder made a good run and looked to be about to head home a Toby Little cross when he was barged from behind leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Duncan Culley stepped up and confidently sent the home stopper the wrong way.

With the home side rarely looking like troubling Luke Daley in the United goal early on, United could have had another as Little received the ball on the left and having spotted the ‘keeper off his line aimed for the far top corner only for a fine fingertip save to deny him as the ball just cleared the bar.

We reached the midway point of the half and the Badgers almost pulled one out of the bag as a free-kick from 25 yards beat all and sundry in the middle and dropped inches wide of Daley’s far post.

Minutes later Culley almost had another, Bridges collected a short corner and despite almost losing the ball following a nasty bobble, he managed to play it in to Culley who turned his marker and was only denied by an excellent save from the home ‘keeper who bravely got down to block his effort up and over the crossbar at very close range.

Another chance soon came the way of the home side as their lively right winger found space and crossed to the near post, his striker getting to the ball but was only able to turn it wide of the near post which Daley had well covered anyway.

Final chance of the half came two minutes from the break as Culley turned his defender and fired goalwards only for a defensive deflection to take the ball inches over the top and it was 2-0 United at the interval.

Both sides made four changes at the break which disrupted the flow of the game a little as you would expect, indeed it was the home side who created the first opening as United’s trialist ‘keeper made a diving stop to push out a drive from the edge of the box, he then got down bravely at the feet of an oncoming opponent to again keep the ball out, this time using his body to block the ball over the top. The resultant corner found the head of the Badgers skipper but his effort was too high.

Another chance for the hosts on the hour mark saw one of their substitutes burst between the two United central defenders before shooting weakly straight at the United ‘keeper.

Minutes after arriving from the bench, Ismael Ehui almost announced himself with a blast, his fiercely driven shot being well blocked by the Badgers skipper who was knocked to the floor by the force of the shot so did very well to block its progress towards goal.

Ten minutes later the Badgers ‘keeper was needed to deny United a third as Manny Duku met a free-kick at the far post, his downward header being touched over the bar, Duku was again denied a few minutes later as the ‘keeper held onto his low shot from the edge of the box.

United finally hit a third with five minutes remaining as Ehui collected on the edge of the box and rifled a low drive through a crowd into the bottom corner of the unsighted ‘keepers net with the game ending soon after in a 3-0 victory for United (photo above).

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Tim Fuell.