Hayes & Yeading moved into the second round of this season’s Southern League Cup with a competition club record 6-0 win over Metropolitan Police at the SKYex on Tuesday evening.
With both sides showing several changes form the weekend, it was the visitors who almost got a fortunate opener when a cross dipped over Andrew McCorkell in the United goal and bounced over off the top of the crossbar.
United’s were soon in their stride though and on 8 minutes Hassan Jalloh found Omar Rowe in an advanced position, his low cross being going just behind James Clark who tried an audacious back-heel but his effort was just off target.
Kai Hamilton for the visitors twice went close to creating an opener within a minute. Firstly his square ball to Jeremy Arthur saw the midfielder slice his shot wide and a minute later Hamilton himself broke into the area but under pressure from Callum Buckley fired straight at McCorkell.
Play switched immediately to the other end where a quick throw-in found Toby Little, his cross was met by the head of James Clark but his effort was held by former United stopper Charlie Burns diving to his left.
United continued to push forwards looking for the opener. Keano Robinson flashed a shot wide from fully 30 yards before Clark fired a free-kick past the defensive wall, Burns fumbled the kick away but the ball was reclaimed by Rowe who set up Jalloh, his effort coming back off the post before being cleared.
Minutes later the breakthrough was made as Rowe collected the ball 35 yards from goal before running at the Police defence and ending by unleashing a 20 yard shot that flew beyond Burns into the top corner of the net.
Three minutes later and the lead was doubled, Jalloh chipped the ball over the defence, Rowe chested the ball into the path of the on-coming Jack Williams who fired low into the bottom corner for his first United goal.
Five minutes later Williams turned from scorer to saver when Hamilton found Jack Mazzone in the United box, the strikers shot beat McCorkell only for Williams to clear the ball off the line to safety.
Just before the break Mazzone again went close, this time seeing his header come back off the bar with the United defence clearing to keep the scoreline at 2-0 as the half closed out.
The second half could not have started better for Paul Hughes’s side with just 32 seconds needed for the elad to be increased. Williams crossed deep from the left side, Joe Grant did well to knock the ball back from beyond the far post to Clark who swept home from close range.
Number four was less than ten minutes away, Jalloh and Rowe exchanged passes with the former firing past Burns only for Rigers Kacokaj to clear the ball off the line but only as far as Jalloh who composed himself and fired into the roof of the net.
Another cracker and number five came just four minutes later when Grant collected inside the visitors half and ran at the defence before firing past Burns from 25 yards out, perfectly finding the top corner.
With just over fifteen minutes remaining United had six. Substitute Lyle Della-Verde and Clark worked a smart short corner routine with Della-Verde’s deep centre being fired home by fellow substitute Phil Roberts at the far post.
The final ten minutes saw a brace of chances apiece but no further goals were forthcoming. Roberts fired in a shot from the left corner of the box with Burns grabbing the effort at the second attempt and then at the other end Police substitute Bilal Sayoud was only just too high with an acrobatic attempt from a Knight centre and minutes later Lucas Nunn’s header from a corner was only just wide of the target.
The final attempt fell to the home side as Ogo Obi fired a free-kick around the defensive wall, again Burns failed to hold the effort but this time his defence were first to the ball and the danger was cleared.
Report by Kevin Watts.
United Man of the Match: Omar Rowe.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
Jeremy Arthur 
