Match Report
The Development Squad came away from Hyde with a 5-2 win but if you arrived late and left early you missed the goal scoring action. Jason Fowles scored twice before Jake Pollard pulled one back and a Josh Smethurst screamer was followed by a strike from Matthew Boland. All before the game was ten minutes old. Then in the last three minutes, Lewis Almond got a second for Hyde before Daniel Maynard appeared at the other end to score FC’s fifth.
Youth and development match reports have often recorded how quickly FC United started the game, but the visit to play Hyde at Abbey Hey took that to a new level. Just 28 seconds had elapsed when Ash Frith, having a nightmare start in the Hyde goal scuffed a clearance to Jason Fowles who controlled it returned with interest. After four minutes it was 2-0, Matthew Boland crossing from the right found Fowles who fired home.
Hyde seemed to be recovering from the shock four minutes later when a poor clearance from Chris Taylor found its way to Jake Pollard to score but very soon afterwards the crowd were acknowledging the goal of the day, perhaps even of the season so far. Josh Smethurst got the ball on the half way line and started to run forward with it. Then whilst still at least 40 yards out lashed the ball in to the top corner. Boland added a fourth so soon afterwards that this spectator had only just finished making a note of the Smethurst effort in time to see the ball go into the net.
The next thirty minutes were largely uneventful as Hyde finally cleared their heads and the FC pace dropped, something perhaps inevitable but not unnoticed at half time. The best effort came just before the break when a short corner routine created the space for Richard Smith to shoot just wide.
The second half started in much the same manner with midfield exchanges dominating proceedings. Hyde probably having the better of it without really threatening to score; they did have the ball in the net on the hour. First Taylor turned a shot out for a corner then the resulting cross was turned in but disallowed for a foul on the keeper.
With around fifteen minutes to go it seemed like neither side were going to score, FC particularly unlucky as one goal mouth scramble saw at least two shots cleared off the line and shortly afterwards Frith denied Boland as he was breaking clear of the back line. His finger tip save from around the penalty spot drifted out for a corner. Daniel Maynard chased it in but couldn’t quite get a finishing touch. Lewis Almond shot into the side netting for Hyde and that seemed to be that.
However with no more than three minutes remaining Hyde did pull a goal back as Almond took advantage of a mix up in the FC defence. There were thoughts of a storming home comeback but those were quickly dispelled as Frank van Gils demonstrated the skills that earned him rave reviews at New Mills two days earlier put Maynard beyond the back four to chip past Frith and make it 5-2.
Hyde:
1. Ash Frith
2. Andrew Fitzgerald
3. Josh Morrell
4. Paul Reddy
5. Adam Lawrence
6. Alex Weatherby
7. Luke Almond
8. Adam Thurson
9. Damase Kiwanda
10. Jake Pollard
11. Connor Hughes
Substitutes:
12. Lee Wilshaw
14. Luke Jones
15.Anthony Ottaway
16. Lee Gregory
17. Christian Travaglini
FC United of Manchester:
1. Chris Taylor
2. Ryan Lyons
3. Josh Smethurst
4. Richard Smith
5. Jordan Dainty
6. Charlie Doyle
7. Daniel Maynard
8. Sam Fitzgerald
9. Jason Fowles
10. Matthew Boland
11. Jay Walcott
Substitutes:
12. Mike Taylor (for 9, 66 mins)
14. Lewis Adams
16. Frank van Gils ( for 11, 58 mins)
17. Jon Poizer
18. Kial Callacher (for 8, 72 mins)
Match Report
The Development Squad came away from Hyde with a 5-2 win but if you arrived late and left early you missed the goal scoring action. Jason Fowles scored twice before Jake Pollard pulled one back and a Josh Smethurst screamer was followed by a strike from Matthew Boland. All before the game was ten minutes old. Then in the last three minutes, Lewis Almond got a second for Hyde before Daniel Maynard appeared at the other end to score FC’s fifth.
Youth and development match reports have often recorded how quickly FC United started the game, but the visit to play Hyde at Abbey Hey took that to a new level. Just 28 seconds had elapsed when Ash Frith, having a nightmare start in the Hyde goal scuffed a clearance to Jason Fowles who controlled it returned with interest. After four minutes it was 2-0, Matthew Boland crossing from the right found Fowles who fired home.
Hyde seemed to be recovering from the shock four minutes later when a poor clearance from Chris Taylor found its way to Jake Pollard to score but very soon afterwards the crowd were acknowledging the goal of the day, perhaps even of the season so far. Josh Smethurst got the ball on the half way line and started to run forward with it. Then whilst still at least 40 yards out lashed the ball in to the top corner. Boland added a fourth so soon afterwards that this spectator had only just finished making a note of the Smethurst effort in time to see the ball go into the net.
The next thirty minutes were largely uneventful as Hyde finally cleared their heads and the FC pace dropped, something perhaps inevitable but not unnoticed at half time. The best effort came just before the break when a short corner routine created the space for Richard Smith to shoot just wide.
The second half started in much the same manner with midfield exchanges dominating proceedings. Hyde probably having the better of it without really threatening to score; they did have the ball in the net on the hour. First Taylor turned a shot out for a corner then the resulting cross was turned in but disallowed for a foul on the keeper.
With around fifteen minutes to go it seemed like neither side were going to score, FC particularly unlucky as one goal mouth scramble saw at least two shots cleared off the line and shortly afterwards Frith denied Boland as he was breaking clear of the back line. His finger tip save from around the penalty spot drifted out for a corner. Daniel Maynard chased it in but couldn’t quite get a finishing touch. Lewis Almond shot into the side netting for Hyde and that seemed to be that.
However with no more than three minutes remaining Hyde did pull a goal back as Almond took advantage of a mix up in the FC defence. There were thoughts of a storming home comeback but those were quickly dispelled as Frank van Gils demonstrated the skills that earned him rave reviews at New Mills two days earlier put Maynard beyond the back four to chip past Frith and make it 5-2.
Hyde:
1. Ash Frith
2. Andrew Fitzgerald
3. Josh Morrell
4. Paul Reddy
5. Adam Lawrence
6. Alex Weatherby
7. Luke Almond
8. Adam Thurson
9. Damase Kiwanda
10. Jake Pollard
11. Connor Hughes
Substitutes:
12. Lee Wilshaw
14. Luke Jones
15.Anthony Ottaway
16. Lee Gregory
17. Christian Travaglini
FC United of Manchester:
1. Chris Taylor
2. Ryan Lyons
3. Josh Smethurst
4. Richard Smith
5. Jordan Dainty
6. Charlie Doyle
7. Daniel Maynard
8. Sam Fitzgerald
9. Jason Fowles
10. Matthew Boland
11. Jay Walcott
Substitutes:
12. Mike Taylor (for 9, 66 mins)
14. Lewis Adams
16. Frank van Gils ( for 11, 58 mins)
17. Jon Poizer
18. Kial Callacher (for 8, 72 mins)
