Hadlow United Vrs Hildenborough Sundays

29th February 2004 (WKSL)

United's new strike force done the trick again with Harvey hitting sparkling form coming into the run-in.  Miles returned in goal for United after recovering from a damaged knee and Bridges returned at left back following a bout of tendonitis, and replaced the injured Walsh who suffered a reoccurrence of his ankle injury.  Excell opened the scoring for United after a deep cross was met in the air by a melee of players the loose ball drooped to Excell who made no mistake.

From then on the game turned into the Rob Harvey show, Hildenborough were twice undone by exquisite passes from Leach which Harvey raced onto and tucked away with great aplomb. Harvey completed a first half hat-trick when a throw in from Wood was flicked on by Excell to Goldsmith who drifted into the box beautifully, before leaving Harvey with a simple tap in. Harvey's fourth was a tremendous first time shot that left the keeper clutching at thin air.  Leach applied a finish to a great run to score his first goal from open play for eight games.

In the second half Bridges struck his first goal of the season with a peach of a strike from the edge of the area. Goldsmith continued the scoring after cashing in on a rare goalkeeping error. Wood was replaced by Race midway through the second half and Harvey got his fifth after Race laid the ball back for Excell to swing a cross that was met by Harvey to complete a great days work.  Cook withdrew Harvey to give him a break and replaced him with Phil Betts who probed at their back four and got his reward when Goldsmith slipped a neat pass through and Betts steered the ball past the keeper and into the empty net.  Donnelly went close on a few occasions  but is still to open hi account in United's colours, but his ball back to Shimell who raked in a great left footed cross in the last five minutes found Excell with time to chest the ball and volley an unstoppable shot past the keeper for eleven.

The defence were rarely troubled by a pacey front line, Matt Betts and Carlton marshalled well at the back and have both developed into an awesome back pairing.

Smith-Foreman was missing from the outing with flu and Garside was also absent.  Walsh is expected to resume training this week and may be available for selection by next Sunday when United visit a revitalised Cross Keys

Team: Miles, Shimell, Betts, Carlton, Bridges (1), Goldsmith (1), Donnelly, Wood (Race), Leach (1), Excell (2), Harvey (5) (P.Betts (1).