Tuesday 14th February 2017 at Holloway’s Park, Beaconsfield.
Hayes & Yeading 2 – 3 Basingstoke Town Goalscorers Toomey & Weiss Johnson-Schuster, Jarvis & Gater
Attendance: 152
With our resident match reporter absent for the evening, I have taken it upon myself to give a much more looser match report. Ian, you missed a good game and a win that was much needed for those fans who dreaded another performance like the League Cup 3-0 loss to H&Y just last month.
Firstly, I don’t do team formations, it could have been 4-3-3-1 or 1-3-4-2-1, sorry but it doesn’t really concern me. What does concern me was that Owusu missed last night’s game through injury (Probably Saturday too), and David Ray was back from injury.
Therefore, the starting line-up was as follows, Tokarczyk, Johnson-Schuster, Bennett, Partridge, Gater, Ray, Deadfield, Kennedy, Jarvis, M.Atkinson, Artwell.
The first few minutes started quietly, with the first Stoke attack a tame shot pulled 10yards wide by Deadfield. The next few minutes saw the first signs of H&Y in our box, as we struggled to clear the ball from our six-yard area, not once, or twice, but three times, as the ball pinged about like a pin-ball machine.
However, on 14 minutes, the home crowd, just a piddly 152, were quieted when a neat pass from Partridge (who was playing a more adventurous role), onto an attacking run by Johnson-Schuster, who slammed a shot which hit the near post and then flew across the following corner of the goal into the net. H&Y 0-1 Basingstoke.
While, I was typing an update to Mr Davies, we again attacked down the right, this time Aaron Jarvis got the ball inside the box and pinged another shot across the diving keeper into the far corner of the net. Just 15 minutes gone H&Y 0-2 Basingstoke. The Stoke fans seemed more shocked than H&Y!!
This was unfortunately not to last as H&Y started to come forward again, but Stoke kept them out till the 23rd minute, when a purely speculative shot from an acute angle flew over ‘Big Dave’ and into the net. H&Y 1-2 Basingstoke.
This spurred the home team on and despite the odd attack from Stoke, and a speculative 35 yard shot from Partridge, which their keeper failed to hold, only for not one of our attackers to follow-up, which he was able to retrieve. H&Y put crosses into our box, time and time again. Terry Brown, was screaming for us to close them down, but as per numerous times this season, a cross on 40 minutes which our keeper failed to come for and no defender felt the need to challenge for, allowed H&Y a free-header into the far corner of the net. Crap H&Y 2-2 Basingstoke.
The last few minutes we again showed more promise, but to no avail.
The few Stoke fans and players families hit the clubhouse to mull over the first half, and what could happen in the second half. Kennedy again picking up a knock was replaced by Dan Collier.
The second half started slowly for Stoke, as H&Y came out fighting as they first had a couple of loose shots wide, before they hit our crossbar and somehow we kept it out. The young referee, who had maybe missed a few calls for both sides, was now getting abuse from the H&Y management team on a constant basis. Also, their number 5 somehow got away with a barrage of abuse to the linesman, only for the ref to have a little chat with him.
We had hardly been in H&Y’s half of the pitch, but who cares, as on 63 minutes we played a ball into the left-hand side of the goal-mouth, where Gater clipped the ball towards the goal, which was helped in by the goalkeepers hand into the net. H&Y 2-3 Basingstoke. With 30 minutes still to go, the Stoke faithful were feeling the pressure.
Artwell was replaced by Redford on 65 minutes, as H&Y resumed the attacking. Our young team still fail to close the advancing opposition players down enough, but H&Y are in the relegation zone for a reason and despite a last minute free-kick on the edge of our box, which flew onto the roof of their stand behind the goal, we seemed fairly comfortable in holding on till the ref blew for full-time.
Final-Score Hayes & Yeading 2 – 3 Basingstoke Town.
The Stoke fans stayed and gave our players a quick round of applause, before we departed to the car-park and on our way home.
That’s four away wins out of five. We need to start producing at home now.
Players of note; Partridge has the skill (maybe not the pace), to play a more attacking role. David Ray had another good game on his return from injury and Artwell & Bennett both had good solid games. Jarvis, run his socks off last night (does most games) and with his goal I have changed my mind overnight and am now awarding the Man-of-the-match to both Matt Partridge & Aaron Jarvis.
Injury Updates: Charles Kennedy re-injured him ankle last night and must be doubtful for Saturday’s game against Biggleswade. Nana Owusu (ankle) also doubtful for Saturday. Robert Atkinson still two weeks away from training. Ashleigh Artwell, seemed to pick-up another slight injury last night, but hopefully fit for Saturday.
Match Report – Martin French.
English 
Polish 