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Hayes & Yeading Utd 6
Thatcham Town 0
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Hayes & Yeading’s final pre-season outing before we go for real ended in a convincing 6-0 victory over last season’s FA Vase winners Thatcham Town in a game played on another scorching Saturday at the SKYex.
The first chance of the game fell to the visiting Kingfishers as Shane Cooper-Clark, who notched over 60 goals for them last season, stepped up to a free-kick on the left corner of the United box. His curling effort beating the wall and forcing United ‘keeper James Shaw to push the ball over at full stretch.
Despite the visitors having a lot of the ball early on, it was United that carved out a good chance followed by the opening goal inside of 12 minutes. Skipper Scott Donnelly sent the ball to Lee Barney by sliding him in between two defenders but the strikers shot was too high and then just minutes later Tom Jelley played a neat interchange with Barney before rolling the ball to Toby Little who fired a low drive past Thatcham ‘keeper Chris Rackley and into the bottom corner of the net.
The Kingfishers almost carved an instant response when Ekow Elliott chipped the ball neatly into a forward gallup from defender Michael Miller but with Shaw coming out to meet him his attempted lob was easily caught by the United ‘keeper.
Just past the midway point of the half a chip into the box by Donnelly on the right saw Lewis Toomey get his head to the ball despite having his shirt tugged by a defender, his header going just the wrong side of the upright. A couple of minutes later another chance came for the visitors as Cooper-Clark ran at the United box but under tight pressure from Keano Robinson he fired weakly at Shaw.
Robinson turned from goal defender to goal scorer within a minute, the versatile defender meeting a Donnelly corner at the far post, his downwards header sneaking between defender and post to double United’s lead.
Ten minutes from the break another neat interchange by United, this time between Scott bridges and Barney ended with the former chipping the ball over Rackley from 20 yards only for his effort to drift narrowly wide of the target.
The half closed out with a spell of pressure from the visitors as Shaw got down well to hold a low Lewis Coyle drive and then a minute later, Robinson did well to hold up the same player in the left channel before he managed to force a shot come cross that flew across the United goal and wide with no team mate in attendance at the far post.
The final chance before the half-time break again came for the Kingfishers, Lamin Sankoh switched the play to Cooper-Clark who returned the ball to the midfielder but his shot on the turn was held low down by Shaw.
United manager Paul Hughes introduced both Kaan Fehmi and Duncan Culley at the break and that combination took just 48 seconds to net United’s third. Fehmi receiving the ball in the middle of the park, his chip through to Culley saw the United striker get to the ball in front of Matt Scott before lifting it over the on-coming Rackley which enabled him to run it home unchallenged.
With United three to the good and several more changes being made by both sides the game as always became more ragged and it was not until 75 minutes that another noteworthy chance, and a fourth goal for United came about. Ismael Ehui controlled the ball in a central area and found Little on the left, his pinpoint centre being met by Culley who headed past Rackley from close range.
United still pushed for more with their seeming superior fitness starting to pay dividends. Ehui dispossessed Tom Melledew and fed Bridges, his shot being well defended by Tom Moran who charged the effort down and then five minutes later Ehui was upended just inside the box and referee Simpson pointed to the spot. Donnelly took charge of the ball and converted easily, sending Rackley the wrong way.
With two minutes to play Shaw again saved from a Cooper-Clark free-kick, this time he was able to hold the effort before United added a sixth a minute from time when Ehui’s whipped in cross from the right was headed over his own ‘keeper by James Tennant in a back pass attempt and the ball settled neatly in the net.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
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Hayes & Yeading United |
Thatcham Town |
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Liam McDevitt (for Robinson, 65) |
Callum Parsons (for Jenkinson, 59) |
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Luke Daley |
James Tennant (for Coyle, 59) |
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Manny Folarin (for Kinnane, 65) |
Lewis Waldon (for Sankoh, 70) |
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Ismael Ehui (for Barney, 65) |
Gareth Thomas (for Scott, 78) |
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Kaan Fehmi (for Olajubu, 46) |
Tom Melledew (for Elliott, 78) |
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George Ademiluyi (for Jelley, 83) |
Tom Browne (for Angell, 65) |
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Trialist N (for Asafu-Adjaye, 75) |
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Duncan Culley (for Toomey, 46) |
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