ALLIEDS MATCH REPORTS 2006-07
 

HAYES YOUTH 2  NORTHWOOD YOUTH 0

A wonderful performance from the Allieds team ultimately went unrewarded. However, this cannot detract from the excellence of the football played and superb determination of the eleven Woods players. Ravaged by injuries and losing several players to the first team squad meant the young Woods were down to the last eleven standing as they took the field against top of the league Hayes. 

Whether it was the ghetto music, blasting out of the tannoy, prior to kick off (is that usual at Hayes?) or the quality of the team talk, who knows, but Northwood started off at a cracking pace.

After five minutes a superb cross in from the right from Jack Bennett was met by a Mickele Thomas header in to the corner. Hayes were stunned and the visitors’ tails were up. Five minutes later and it was so nearly 2-0 as a Stuart Onslow pile driver crashed against the bar from all of 30 yards out.

This seemed to stir Hayes into action, and in the next 20 minutes they had their best spell, frequently breaking with menace down the right hand side. Saying that, Woods still posed a threat and five minutes before half time a great move ended with a crisp left foot volley from Chris White, but the keeper made an excellent save down to his left.

Half time came with Northwood still ahead and during the interval the need for the boys to stay compact was stressed, two banks of four when defending and swift breaks in to the channels to release the dangerous strikers: the boys were very disciplined and carried out the tactics to perfection.

Understandably Hayes went for it in the second half and on 62 minutes Bill Fishenden made a great save to thwart the Hayes left winger. However, Northwood were still looking relatively comfortable at this stage and it was a bit of a surprise when the lively Toby Little managed to squirm free in the box in the 67^th minute and crash home an equaliser for Hayes.

After that it was end to end stuff with both teams going for a winner. Hayes perhaps had the clearest chances but it was true that no-one on the Hayes bench was very  relaxed in this final twenty minute period. Unfortunately with 90 minutes up a long ball forward from the back, a neat turn from Little, and the left winger was in to snatch a fortuitous winner for Hayes.

A highly relieved Hayes management team were very complimentary about the performance of Northwood, who deserved something out of a game to which they had contributed so much.

On the night Stuart Onslow was simply magnificent, Mickele Thomas was at his most lively, Chris White captured the form we know he is capable of, and  Daniel Brown was superbly intelligent in midfield.  Goalkeeper Anthony Ladyman was a revelation at centre back, Ryan Duffy – who took a fearsome knock to the head in the first half – was brave and very classy, and the captain David Sexton yet again turned in a great performance. The rest of the lads all played well, and it was a night to be proud, even though ultimately Northwood ended up with no points.

NIGEL TROUT