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Chalfont St Peter 1
Hayes & Yeading Utd 1
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Paul Hughes took his fledgling side to Chalfont St Peter on a wet blustery July evening in a hastily arranged friendly and it took a late goal from Lyle Della-Verde to earn a draw after the hosts had taken an 83rd minute lead through 17 year-old Khalil Francis.
United almost got off to the perfect start as within 60 seconds a long ball upfield found James Clark on the edge of the box, his neat touch and turn saw him get away a shot that the Saints ‘keeper blocked away before being quick enough to grab the follow-up effort as well.
Clark went close ten minutes later when his free-kick from the left corner of the box beat the wall but also went the wrong side of the far post.
Without overly troubling the United goal the hosts did have more than a fair share of the ball and did look dangerous on the break, their best chance in the opening half hour saw a right wing cross being met at the far post but the header went wide of the upright.
Minutes later an almost identical move saw the Saints striker narrowly miss connecting with a header in the middle as the ball flew away to safety much to United’s relief.
Towards the end of the half it was the lower ranked hosts who looked the sharper side with a 20 yard drive bringing a diving parry from United's stopper Ravan Constable with the loose ball being sliced wide of the somewhat vacant net.
The final effort of the half again fell to the home side when a long punted goal-kick was flicked on but the subsequent shot was straight into the ‘keepers arms and we went in goalless at the break.
Paul Hughes changed things around at the break throwing Elliot Benyon and Ogo Obi into the fray and it was almost a dream start for former Hendon striker Obi as just a couple of minutes into the half the home ‘keeper presented him with the ball just outside the area, he worked inside but delayed his shot sufficiently for a defender to get in a block and the ball rolled back to the grateful ‘keeper.
Little in the way of goalmouth action followed until the 70th minute when two of United’s trialists almost combined, a chipped ball over the home defence just evading the outstretched boot of the on-coming United midfielder with the goalkeeper gathering comfortably in the end.
Seven minutes remained when the deadlock was broken by the home side. A free-kick from their own half was pumped up into the United box, Mitchal Gough won the initial header but his clearance dropped to a Saints player, his first time shot was miss-hit but fell to Francis who turned and volleyed the ball home from 10 yards out.
Minutes later Gough was inches away from an equaliser, his driven free-kick being just too high and then a couple of minutes later it was 1-1 with Benyon starting off a move that involved a couple of trialists with Della-Verde beating off two challenges before firing the ball low under the home stopper.
The final chance of the game came a minute later when a home player collected the ball on the bye-line and cut inside and got in a shot from a tight angle that Constable did well to block away and that was it for another night, one more pre-season game to go and then it’s “down to business” with a nice short trip to Devon!!
Report by Kevin Watts.
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Chalfont St Peter |
Hayes & Yeading United |
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