LEAGUE SEASON 2000 - 01

FAC = F.A. Cup, FAT = F.A.Trophy, MPC = Manchester Premier Cup, CSC = Cheshire Senior Cup, ULC = Unibond League Cup,  UPC = Unibond Presidents Cup, UNI =Unibond League, qr = Qualifying Round,  gs = Group Stage, qf =Quarter Final sf =Semi Final  

09-09-00 BARROW 1 HYDE UNITED 0 UNIBOND Att. 1216
Barrow thought they had gone ahead on seven minutes but Housham was adjudged to be offside when he tapped home from close range. If the Tigers had a let off they were bigger culprits themselves just moments later when Banim swung and missed the ball with just goalkeeper Heritage to beat after Salmon had put him through. An even bigger escape for Barrow on twelve minutes when Robertson surged into the penalty area and crossed for David Hanson who from two yards, with the goalkeeper grounded, managed to somehow put the ball wide. Graham Bennett made a good save from a Peverell header as the game settled into an enjoyable spectacle with two teams that wanted to play a passing game. Bennett again saved from Peverell as the prolific striker improvised a shot from 30 yards. Barrow went ahead in the 38th minute, Peverell stroked home a penalty after Aspinall had held the striker inside the area. Injury time in the first half saw Heritage save from Banim and Gavin Salmon shoot wide after Band had got him into a good position. Hyde had about 70% of the possesion in the second half but could find no way through Barrow's well organised defence. Peter Band went close with a 20 yard shot and Foster made Heritage save from the edge of the box. Further long range efforts were all Hyde could test Barrow with but each time the ball was either wide or blocked and the Cumbrians took the three points.

Hyde: Graham Bennett 7, John Foster 6, Paul Robertson 6, Mark Beeston 6,
Brendan Aspinall 6, Peter Band 6, Martin McDonald 6, Neil Hall 7, Gavin
Salmon 5, David Hanson 6, Jody Banim 6. Subs: Steve Tobin 6 for Hanson,
Stuart Walker 6 for Salmon, Gus Wilson 6 for Robertson.

Barrow: Heritage, Rogers, Maxfield, Warren, Waller, Hume, Housham, Ellison,
Peverell, Bullimore, Anthony. Subs: Peel, Whittle, Doherty


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



05-09-00 COLWYN BAY 2 HYDE UNITED 1 UNIBOND Att. 312
The Tigers slumped to a second defeat of the season at Llanelian Road tonight. Hyde had the better of the opening stages and should have taken the lead when a Banim cross dropped at the feet of David Hanson who knocked the ball over from six yards, the ball bounced badly but even so it was a bad miss from close range. Banim went close soon after when he volleyed past the upright with Hill beaten. Ex-Manchester United starlet Deniol Graham showed some great skill around the edge of the Hyde box but his shot was easy for Graham Bennett to collect. Marc Limbert hit a thunderbolt flying past Bennett's post soon after and McIlvogue headed wide after Graham had broken free down the right and crossed. Some excellent play from Banim got Simon Yeo into a good position but he shot straight at Hill from 12 yards and allowed the goalkeeper to beat the ball to safety. Arguably the best chance of the half fell to Graham after Limbert's cross found him unmarked in the penalty area but Bennett saved the strikers shot with his legs. Colwyn Bay took the lead after 49 minutes, Gelling dispossessed Band on the edge of the area, drew Bennett and played the ball across goal for James McIlvogue to prod home at the far post. This brought Hyde to life for a few minutes and Hill denied Yeo with a save at the near post after the striker had turned and shot. The Tigers levelled things up on 53 minutes when Jody Banim turned in Robertson's cross at the far post and it seemed as though this was just the beginning. Peter Band had a shot blocked inside the area, Hill produced an excellent stop to tip over a Banim effort and then on 65 minutes Colwyn Bay won the game. Marc Limbert produced a strike from 25 yards which was simply stunning and sailed into the top corner giving Bennett no chance, this just as Bay's attack seemed to be dwindling. Simon Yeo was then carried off after he injured himself when he tackled Gelling, a challenge which earned the striker a yellow card. The last five minutes saw Hyde pile the pressure on as Graham Roberts blocked Banim's goal bound volley. In the final minute Hill tipped Walker's header onto the crossbar and from the following corner Dave Norman headed off the goal line to save the points for Colwyn. Hyde were poor but still left Wales feeling as if they should have got something from the game.

Hyde: Bennett 7, Foster 7, Robertson 6, Beeston 6, Aspinall 6, Band 5,
Richardson 5, Hall 7, Yeo 6, Hanson 6, Banim 8. Subs: Salmon 6 for Yeo,
Walker 7 for Richardson, Wilson.

Colwyn Bay: Hill, Norman, Jones, Gelling, Fenton, Graham, Limbert, G
Roberts, D Graham, McIlvogue, O Roberts.


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



02-09-00 HYDE UNITED 5 HUCKNALL TOWN 1 UNIBOND Att. 529
The Tigers ended Hucknall's unbeaten start to the season with an emphatic win at Ewen Fields. Hyde took the lead in the 5th minute, David Hanson winning the ball in the middle and setting Neil Hall away down the left, his cross was converted at the far post by Simon Yeo. Just forty seconds later Paul Tomlinson was pulled down inside the area by Mark Beeston and Richard Taylor converted the spot kick to level things up. Hucknall's Russell Cooke was unlucky in the 15th minute when he turned and shot wide of the post after some slack defending from Hyde. Paul Robertson was unlucky to see his shot deflected wide by Town's Mark Place before Hanson should have scored from Robertson's corner. Yeo was then twice unlucky after combining with strike partner Hanson, firstly Dave McCarthy made a good save to deny him and then he blasted over from six yards after Hanson had done the hard work. Simon Yeo wasn't to be denied on 41 minutes when he beat McCarthy to a Lloyd Richardson through ball and then rolled the ball into an empty goal after his collision with the keeper left McCarthy needing treatment. Hyde continued to dominate after the break and it was no surprise when David Hanson rose to head in Hall's free kick on 52 minutes. Dave McCarthy went on to make two excellent saves from Hanson but could only pull down Jody Banim on 63 minutes and let Simon Yeo complete his hat-trick by converting the penalty. Paul Tomlinson should have brought Hucknall back into it but shot wide after pouncing on Brendan Aspinall's mistake. Hanson rattled the crossbar from John Foster's cross before in the 85th minute McCarthy, who kept the score in single figures saved from Foster only to see Simon Yeo net the rebound to score his fourth of the game and ninth league goal in five games so far.

Hyde: Graham Bennett 7, John Foster 8, Paul Robertson 7, Mark Beeston 6,
Brendan Aspinall 7, Peter Band 6, Lloyd Richardson 7, Neil Hall 8, Simon Yeo
9, David Hanson 9, Jody Banim 8. Subs: Gavin Salmon 6 for Banim, Stuart
Walker 6 for Richardson, Gus Wilson 7 for Beeston.

Hucknall: Dave McCarthy, Lee Soar, Richard Taylor, Wayne Fairclough, Mark
Place, Jon Flint, Darrel Rankin, Russell Cooke, Paul Tomlinson, Andy Morris,
Dale Wright. Subs: Simon Martin, Rob Orton, Russell Best.


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



28-08-00 DROYLSDEN 2 HYDE UNITED 4 UNIBOND Att. 561
Where do I start with this one? The Bloods struck with their first attack of the match, Andy Green's shot was saved by Bennett but his parry fell straight to Stuart Corns who simply rolled the ball home in the 3rd minute. Hyde were slow to come out of the blocks and when Paul Robertson burst down the left his cross was headed over by Simon Yeo. Ally Pickering had a shot saved by Bloods 'keeper Paul Phillips but David Hanson put the rebound wide. A mistake by Paul Taylor let in Andy Green on 18 minutes and he made no mistake, powering his shot past Bennett from close range to put Droylsden two up. Phillips made two more saves in the half, firstly to stop Neil Hall's goal bound shot and the second to deny a Paul Robertson free kick although in truth neither effort stretched him. The final chance of the half fell to Jody Banim but his free-kick didn't bend enough to make the goalkeeper work. By now Droylsden had shut up shop and it became clear to Hyde that they were going to have to work hard to get anything from the match. Whatever was said at half time did the trick though, indeed I don't recall Graham Bennett making a noteworthy save in the second half. Peter Band headed over a Hanson cross from the right early on. In the 57th minute Hyde got their lifeline, Hall's corner was on its way to Martin McDonald who was lining up a strike, at the last moment he dummied, drew in the tackle and the Tigers had a penalty, Paul Taylor tucked the ball away low to the goalkeepers right. Hyde equalised in the 67th minute, a long free-kick from Bennett was flicked on by Hanson and then half cleared by Droylsden, Jody Banim volleyed the clearance low into the bottom corner with an amazing strike. Hyde unbelievably took the lead in the 83rd minute, a long ball put through Gavin Salmon who was then blocked by a combination of goalkeeper Paul Phillips and Aeon Lattie, Salmon did enough to roll the ball sideways where Simon Yeo rolled the ball into an empty goal. In the 86th minute Hyde finished 45 minutes of madness when Jody Banim broke clear and chipped over
Phillips to complete a victory that many in the ground would not have thought possible at half time.

Hyde: Graham Bennett 6, Ally Pickering 6, Paul Robertson 6, Mark Beeston 6,
Paul Taylor 6, Peter Band 6, Martin McDonald 6, Neil Hall 6, Simon Yeo 6,
David Hanson 7, Jody Banim 7. Subs: Gavin Salmon 6 for Hanson, Karl
Marginson 6 for McDonald, Gus Wilson.

Droylsden: Paul Phillips, Lee Prior, Aeon Lattie, Dave Ashton, Eddie
Johnston, Carl Holmes, Kevin Lampkin, Dominic Morley, Andy Green, Stuart
Corns, Wes Kinney. Subs: Danny Warner, Stephen Quinn, Andy Simpson.


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



26-08-00 HYDE UNITED 6 BLYTH SPARTANS 2 UNIBOND Att. 417
Eight goals, two red cards and a 2nd successive win for The Tigers at Ewen Fields yesterday. Hyde took a tenth minute lead when Brendan Aspinall hooked in from a corner, this just minutes after Jody Banim had a shot blocked on the line. Blyth looked to get straight back at Hyde and a saving tackle from Mark Beeston prevented Glen Robson from equalising. It didn't take Blyth much longer though as an error from Paul Robertson let in Ian Chandler who squared for Robson to net on 24 minutes. Martin McDonald and David Hanson both went close for Hyde but it was Simon Yeo who pounced to put the Tigers back in front in the 39th minute after Robertson's shot had been blocked. Again Blyth came back with Steven Hutchinson forcing Graham Bennett to save and Steven Steward shooting wide. Two minutes before the break Simon Yeo rose to head in Robertson's corner to put the home team two goals clear at the break. Just 25 seconds after the restart, Banim played through Peter Band who calmly rolled the ball past Terry Burke to score Hyde's fourth. Graham Bennett came to Hyde's rescue when he pushed Ian Chandler's shot onto the post from close range but he was slow to react in the 57th minute when Robson beat him to a through ball and scored easily. David Hanson climbed to head his first goal for Hyde in the 64th minute when he met Yeo's cross to make it 5-2. The only sour note to the game arrived 3 minutes later when Yeo reacted badly to a tackle from behind and was sent off for lashing out, Blyth's Tony Skedd also joined him after a small scuffle. Peter Band wrapped things up in the 75th minute when he headed in Robertson's cross and was denied a hat-trick when Burke tipped his shot over the top five minutes later.

Hyde: Graham Bennett 6, Ally Pickering 6, Paul Robertson 6, Mark Beeston 7,
Brendan Aspinall 6, Peter Band 8, Martin McDonald 7, Neil Hall 7, Simon Yeo
7, David Hanson 7, Jody Banim 8. Subs: Gavin Salmon 6 for Banim, Karl
Marginson, Gus Wilson 6 for Aspinall.

Blyth: Terry Burke, Patrick Little, Mark Dunkersley, Tony Skedd, Richard
Forster, Justin Keegan, Steven Hutchinson, Brian Rowe, Ian Chandler, Glen
Robson, Steven Steward. Subs: Andy Hay, Gareth Williams, Graham Hogg


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



21-08-00 HYDE UNITED 2 LEEK TOWN 1 UNIBOND Att. 452
This was certainly a game of two halves tonight at Ewen Fields, Hyde dominated the first period but were left hanging on for much of the second half. Danny Hobby tested Graham Bennett inside the first two minutes with a close range shot for Leek but Peter Band forced Mark Statham into a save at the other end after a cross from Simon Yeo. Hyde took the lead in the eight minute, Matt Beeby failed to deal with a long ball and SIMON YEO pounced to steer past Statham. Leek had the next chance when Darren Twigg out jumped Matty Taylor and headed just wide following a deep cross from the right. A Jody Bamin cross was met by the head of Yeo but Statham made a good save low down to his left. Hyde went further ahead in the 44th minute when SIMON YEO headed home from Hall's corner. Leek made a game in the second period and a spell of pressure which saw Matty Taylor clear off the line and Twigg hit the crossbar before AIDEN CALLAN fired across goal and in off the far post on 56 minutes. Paul Robertson made up ground well to take the ball off Twigg just as the striker had found himself clear through. It was Twigg who missed the next Leek chance when he steered his header wide after another right sided cross. Hyde were looking a little shaky at the back but Banim and Hanson shot over at the other end when another Hyde goal would have sealed it. In the final minute it was left to Graham Bennett to guard the three points as he made an outstanding save to tip round a header from close range.

Hyde: Graham Bennett 7, Matty Taylor 7, Paul Robertson 6, Mark Beeston 6,
Paul Taylor 6, Peter Band 6, Martin McDonald 6, Neil Hall 6, Simon Yeo 8,
David Hanson 7, Jody Banim 7. Subs: Gavin Salmon, Karl Marginson, Gus Wilson

Leek: Mark Statham, Bradley Sandeman, Dean Stokes, Daryl Wilkes, John
Diskin, Dale Hawtin, Danny Hobby, Craig Lovatt, Matt Beeby, Darren Twigg,
Aiden Callen. Subs: Ian Palin for Beeby, Richard Carter for Stokes, Scott
Holmes for Hobby.

REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



19-08-00 BURSCOUGH 1 HYDE UNITED 0 UNIBOND Att.281 
The Tigers returned to Burscough for their first league visit for almost 20 years, unfortunately it was not a game that will live long in the memory. The first chance fell to league debutant Dave Hanson, but his header was blocked by Nolan for Burscough. Then, on 8 minutes, came the only goal of the game when, centre half Ryan Bowen met a long throw-in on the half volley to leave Bennett with no chance in the Hyde goal. Hyde continued to press and desparate defending by Clanden stopped Yeo latching onto Matty Taylor's almost perfect cross. The Tigers best chance of the first 45 fell to Graham Bennett whose long clearance out of defence caught both the defenders and goalkeeper napping, with Price just managing to tip the ball onto the crossbar, and then gratefully collecting the rebound. Hyde continued to press and just before half time Price saved well after Dave Hanson used his strength to break clear. Bennett also had to be on his toes to parry a piledriver from Rudd attacking on the break. Hyde started the second period better than they had played in the first, with chances still being difficult to come by. Peter Band who had replaced Beeston had two glorious chances in 3 minutes to draw the Tigers level but failed to find the target. As the game drew to a close the Tigers threw everything at Burscough leaving gaps at the back, both Matty Taylor and Neil Hall were forced into last ditch tackles to stop Burscough taking a two nil lead. The last action of the match saw the best chance of the half fall to Paul Taylor, who had become an impromptu centre forward, heading over with only the keeper to beat.

Hyde Team: Bennett; Beeston (Band 69); Robertson; Aspinall; Taylor P; Taylor
M; McDonald; Hall;Yeo; Hanson (Salmon 76); Marginson (Banim 65)

Man of the Match: Paul Taylor - Hard in the tackle, coped admirabley in the
air and almost snatched an equaliser at the death


REPORT BY DON GOODWIN



17-08-00 HYDE UNITED 2 MANCHESTER CITY 3 FRIENDLY 
MIKE McKENZIE TESTIMONIAL
Mike McKenzie's well deserved testimonial game brought a strong City reserve side to Ewen Fields, the ground where they will be playing all their home games next season. Hyde held their own in the first half against vastly experienced players to go in at 0-0 but a combination of substitutions and City noticeably upping the pace led to the blues creating a 3 goal lead. First a Leon Mike thunderbolt swerved past Graham Bennett into the bottom corner, Bennett then saved a penalty taken by Gareth Taylor before the big striker made amends by steering home two lovely headers. Steve Tobin drilled one back for Hyde before Gavin Salmon stole the show in the final minute by netting a flying volley into the top corner.

Hyde: Bennett, Foster, Robertson, Beeston, P Taylor, Pickering, McDonald,
Hall, Yeo, Hanson, Marginson. Subs: Wilson, Tobin, Band, Salmon, Banim,
Walker.
City: Tommy Wright, Lee Crooks, Danny Granville, Jim Whitley, Andy Morrison,
Rhys Day, Chris Shukur, Gary Mason, Gareth Taylor, Leon Mike, Terry Cooke.
Subs: Dickson Etuhu, Richard McKinney, Stephen Jordan, Terry Dunfield


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



12-08-01 WOODLEY SPORTS 0 HYDE UNITED 6 FRIENDLY
As the scoreline suggests, Hyde turned on the style against their near neighbours. Actually, that's not true. Whilst the Tigers never really struggled they were pretty average, this despite going ahead through Jody Banim after just 22 seconds. Gavin Salmon scored the second just before half time with a brave diving header at the feet of the goalkeeper. Woodley scored twice just after half time to level things up and Hyde were looking a little shaky at the back, things soon got back to normal and Banim got the third after breaking clear and beating the keeper and Stuart Walker volleyed the fourth from Buckley's corner. Buckley then added the fifth before Lee Wilkinson finally got on the scoresheet when he took his hardest chance of the afternoon after missing two sitters.

REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



07-08-00 HYDE UNITED 0 TRANMERE ROVERS 0 FRIENDLY
Hyde had a look at some of their fringe players tonight against a Tranmere side containing Eric Nixon, Dave Challinor & Stuart Barlow to name a few and they played well enough to put forward their cases for first team places. Alex Lawler played steadily in goal, Lee Wilkinson put in a decent performance upfront, Matty Taylor looked at home in the middle and left sided Dave Wills came closest to breaking the deadlock when he came on as a substitute. Simon Yeo also missed a good chance in the first half when his looping header beat Nixon but drifted past the post. McDonald had a second half shot saved and Wills shot just over after showing a good turn of speed.
All in all a good workout infront of the watching eyes of John Aldridge in the stand.

REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



01-08-00 HYDE UNITED 3 BARNSLEY 1 FRIENDLY
With the first eleven playing at Hartlepool, it was a youth side that Barnsley fielded on Tuesday evening at Hyde. Having suffered close defeats in their first two warm-ugames, the Tigers were looking to get off to a good start but it took an excellent save from Hyde goalkeeper Graham Bennett, diving low to his left to push away a shot from Nathan Hood in the 6th minute.Hyde took the lead in the 17th minute, however. Following a scramble on the right of the Barnsley area, the ball fell kindly to new-signing Dave Hanson who picked out Karl Marginson on the left of the box and he made no mistake, drilling past Barnsley custodian Lee Walker from eight yards. Hanson should have scored when Tobin's pass put him one on one with Walker but the striker pulled his shot wide of the target. Bennett again saved well to deny Hood before Duncan Richards lobbed the ball over the top from ten yards when he should have equalled things up.
The second half saw both sides make changes but Barnsley played some good football and were unlucky when Carl Barrowclough tested Bennett with a swerving long range shot the keeper did well to beat away. A long ball led to Hyde's second goal, a Wilkinson flick on found Simon Yeo who volleyed over Walker from 30 yards in spectacular fashion in the 82nd minute. Martin McDonald grabbed the third with a crisp 18 yard shot into the right hand top corner two minutes later before Barnsley grabbed an 86th minute consolation when Swi Savic scored after a mazy dribble on the edge of the penalty area.

Teams
Hyde: Bennett, Pickering, Robertson (Wilson 71), Beeston, P Taylor, Band,
McDonald, Tobin (M Taylor 67), Hanson (Wilkinson 77), Banim (Yeo 67),
Marginson (Salmon 81). Sub not used: Lawler

Barnsley: Walker, Moses, Austin (Owen 71), Goodyear (Fallon 45), Dudgeon
(Siddall 45), Brown (Welsh 45), Mulligan, Richards (Barrowclough 45), Evans,
Savic, Hood. 


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER 



24-07-00 HYDE UNITED 1 MACCLESFIELD TOWN 2 FRIENDLY
Hyde began brightly against a strong Macclesfield side with an early shot from Stuart Walker bringing out a fine save from former Barnsley keeper Tony Bullock. 
Macc hit back with a quick free kick from Lee Glover which went just wide of the post. 
The Tigers took the lead on 24 mins when trialist David Hansen powered home a header following a Paul Robertson free kick. Macclesfield's Kevin Keen hit the cross bar soon after from a free kick following a foul by Taylor. The Silkmen drew level on 31 mins when Keen was brought down in the box by John Foster and Lee Glover scored from the spot kick. Richie Barker had a goal disallowed for offside before the break. 
Five mins into the second half the dangerous Keen was brought down by Martin McDonald.From the resulting free kick Simon Collins lashed an unstoppable shot through the wall and past Bennett to give the Silkmen a 2-1 lead. However it was the home side who came more into the game as the half progressed with Jody Banim showing his usual array of skills and former Crewe player Mark Beeston looking assured at the back for Hyde. Lee Wilkinson entered the fray with 20 mins to go and looked a handful and gave the Macc defence some problems but despite their efforts Macca's men couldn't find a way through and the final score was Hyde 1 Macc Town 2 in front of a crowd of 325. 

REPORT BY MARK DRING



22-07-00 HYDE UNITED 0 BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 FRIENDLY
Blackburn paraded three full internationals in a strong team to face The Tigers at Ewen Fields. Despite this strength it was Hyde who forced the issue early on and a mistake from Marlon Broomes presented last season's Unibond league top scorer, Simon Yeo with a chance 18 yards out which Rovers goalkeeper Alan Miller saved well. Yeo was then unlucky when Neil Hall's deep cross just drifted away from him when he was in a great position to score. Blackburn then lost striker James Thomas when he was stretchered off after a mistimed tackle from Paul Robertson. Hall again provided a cross for Yeo and the striker was unlucky to see his shot loop over the crossbar. Hyde
goalkeeper Graham Bennett made an excellent one-handed stop to deny Gary Hamilton and then he tipped Hamilton's next effort onto the crossbar as the first division side started to up the pace a little. The second half saw both teams make numerous substitutions and Hyde in particular suffered for this as they lost their momentum. Welsh international Nathan Blake scored Blackburn's first on 52 minutes with a crisp header from a right wing cross. Hyde's only serious attempt on goal came from a Jody Banim free kick which Miller tipped around the post. Gary Hamilton scored an almost identical brace on 84 & 87 minutes when he rounded Paul Horridge to score from close range on both occasions.

Hyde: Bennett, Foster (captain), Robertson, Aspinall, Taylor, Pickering,
McDonald, Hall, Yeo, Hanson, Richardson. Substitutes: Banim, Horridge, Band,
Tobin, Walker, Beaston

Blackburn: Miller, Grayson, Dunning, McKinley, Taylor, Broomes, Baldaccino,
Carsley, Thomas, Blake, Corbett. Sustitutes: Murphy, Bingham, Hawe, McNamee,
McCann, Hamilton


REPORT BY STEVE BOWKER