On a freezing cold January evening at the SKYex, Hayes & Yeading were beaten by the odd goal in three by Poole Town as a late headed goal saw Paul Hughes’ ten men fall to defeat at the hands of the side United had knocked out of the FA Cup way back in October.

Both sides took a while to settle to the freezing conditions but with the United pitch in fine fettle as always the game was never in doubt. The first opening fell to United in the 14th minute when Manny Duku met a Jack Williams centre from the left, the striker’s header going marginally wide of the target.

Four minutes later Scott Donnelly played in a free-kick that Omar Rowe met on the half-volley, his goalbound effort being pushed out by Dolphins ‘keeper Luke Cairney who then calmly claimed the resultant corner kick. Rowe again went close shortly after when Duku fed the ball forwards to James Clark, his neat back-hell went straight into the path of Rowe who hit a first time shot that was too high to trouble the Poole goal.

With United still in the ascendancy another opening was carved out as Donnelly found Duku on the edge of the box, his assured touch and first time drive again bringing a fine save from Cairney who pushed the effort around the post, sadly again the resultant corner was dealt with by the visitors defence.

Just a minute later the visitors took the lead very much against the run of play but due to sloppiness in the United defence whereby possession was given away cheaply and the visitors quickly sent Sam Jackson away on the left side, with time and space available he fired the ball across the United six yard box with the ball being turned into his own net by skipper Liam McDevitt as he slid in to try and recover the situation.

Despite this setback United continued to dominate the chances. Callum Buckley threaded the ball forwards to Duku who tried his luck from the edge of the box but was wide of the target and just a couple of minutes later Clark received the ball on the edge of the Dolphins box and laid it off to Rowe who fired across Cairney only for the ball to go the wrong side of the upright by a matter of inches.

On the stroke of half-time United deservedly found an equaliser, Aaron McCreadie lofted the ball over the visitors defence to Duku who took a touch before slotting the ball past Cairney into the Poole net for his third in two games.

The second half was to be less open than the first after United were reduced to ten men on the 64th minute.

An early chance after the re-start came for the visitors following another defensive lapse by the home side as a loose pass 25 yards from the United goal was cut out and quickly fed to Will Spetch in the left corner of the area, his first time shot being pushed away to safety by Jack Smith.

Five minutes later a further gift was almost awarded by the United defence as Keano Robinson allowed the ball to run through with Luke Holmes on goal, only for Smith to react quickly to rush off his line to grab the ball at the Poole players feet.

Shortly after Smith was again required to deny Holmes, the United stopper getting strong hands to a Holmes drive from the edge of the box just a minute after United had been denied a penalty when Duku appeared to be bundled over, the United man receiving a caution for deliberately handling the ball on the assumption a spot kick was to be given.

The aforementioned caution was to prove pivotal as Duku continued to feel aggrieved several minutes later and having been treated for an injury he appears to have spoken too harshly to the assistant referee who waved referee Elson over and the United man was shown a second yellow card and dismissed from the game leaving United to play the final half hour with 10 men.

United settled to playing on the break to little effect while the visitors despite having a man extra could find no way to get near Smith’s goal until the final ten minutes where firstly Smith did well to push away an 18 yard drive from Luke Pardoe and then with six minutes left on the watch United conceded a “soft” free-kick on the left side, Corby Moore floated in an excellent kick that Dolphins skipper Jamie Whisken got the slightest of touches to with the ball sailing past Smith into the far corner of the United net.

Push forwards as they might in the final minutes, United could not find a way back into the game and Poole returned to Dorset with maximum points, something I’m sure United will look to recover when we visit the Tatnum Ground for the return game in a few weeks time.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: Jack Smith.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.