Hayes & Yeading went nap for the second consecutive Saturday, following up last weekends’ 5-0 drubbing of Dorchester Town with an excellent 5-1 victory away at Weston-super-Mare as United’s latest arrival Francis Amartey marked his debut with United’s fourth of the afternoon, the others coming from Scott Donnelly, Manny Duku and a brace from Omar Rowe.

On a heavy pitch at The Optima Stadium, the opening fifteen minutes saw little of note attempts wise with both sides carving out half chances without really stretching either goalkeeper to any great extent.

Seagulls stopper Luke Purnell was called into action in the 20th minute when Jake Sheppard won the ball on the right side, his cross was headed clear but only as far as Connor Toomey who tried his luck from 20 yards with the effort being dealt with routinely by Purnell.

Just a minute later Jack Smith was also called into action, the United stopper doing well to get a strong hand to a James Waite drive, the follow-up by Scott Laird being snuffed out by the United defence.

As we approached the half hour mark United started to take a grip on proceedings. Sheppard’s centre from the right was headed out by the Seagulls defence but only as far as Donnelly, his centre being met by James Clark who saw his header go marginally wide of the post.

The deadlock was broken by United on 32 minutes, Jack Williams played the ball to Omar Rowe on the left, the tricky United midfielder chipped the ball beyond Chris Knowles who subsequently tripped the United man in the box leaving referee Welsh the simple decision of awarding United a spot kick. Donnelly took charge and duly sent Purnell the wrong way from 12 yards to put the visitors ahead.

Within a minute it was almost two as a Donnelly corner was only cleared as far as Sheppard who fired the ball in first time from 20 yards out, the goalbound effort being tipped wide by Purnell.

Number two for United came soon after however as Clark played an excellent ball over the Seagulls defence, Manny Duku won the race to the ball, rounded the dive of Purnell and despite being driven wide, the United striker drilled the ball just inside the post with amazing accuracy as Greg Tindle slid in to attempt to clear.

As we hit 45 minutes a chance of a third came United’s way as Duku chased a neat pass over the top, holding off three challengers at the same time the striker managed to loft the ball over the on-coming Purnell but unfortunately his effort also cleared the crossbar.

Another chance for the visitors came in stoppage time as Knowles rose highest to meet a Waite corner kick but his header was straight at Smith and easily dealt with, United closing out the half two goals to the good.

The hosts as you would expect came out looking for a quick response however the first opening of the half fell to United on 48 minutes when Donnelly picked out Duku on the right side, he fed the ball inside to Francis Amartey who twisted and turned his way around two defenders before firing tamely at Purnell.

The Seagulls started to have more than a fair share of possession without overly troubling the United goal until the 65th minute when a Waite corner was met by Nick McCootie who headed past Smith to reduce the arrears to a single goal.

A chance apiece came soon after, for United Clark’s centre was only cleared as far as Donnelly who controlled the ball well and hit a curling shot that Purnell held onto while at the other end a couple of minutes later Waite’s corner kick was headed out by Rowe on to the chest of Lloyd Humphries who controlled the ball and hit a dipping volley from 20 yards that dipped over the United goal.

Within five minutes United had found the net twice more to take a 4-1 lead. Duku collected the ball on the right of the Seagulls area before playing it inside to Clark, he squared the ball to Rowe who coolly slammed it past Purnell. Three minutes later debutant Amartey collected the ball a couple of yards outside the box, his drive on the turn taking a slight deflection before flying beyond Purnell into the top corner.

Two minutes later United almost had five when Clark hit a 20 yard shot on the turn that Purnell did well to push out with his defenders mopping up the loose ball.

An impossible task was made even harder for the hosts on 81 minutes when their skipper Greg Tindle was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball in the middle of the park and referee Welsh brandished a second yellow card with the mandatory red following and the Seagulls were down to ten men.

Despite being a man light, the next ‘keeper in action was Smith, the United custodian fielding a 25 yard drive from Seagulls substitute Issac Pearce however just two minutes later United went nap as substitute Keano Robinson received the ball inside the hosts area on the right from Sheppard, the ball was fired across the box, dummied by Duku which left it to run to Rowe who fired in his second of the game from 10 yards out to seal an excellent win for Paul Hughes’ side.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: James Clark.