LEAGUE SEASON 2003 - 04
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
24-09-03 KIDSGROVE
ATHLETIC 1 HYDE UNITED 2 UNI att.146
This was another tough game
for the Tigers, but they came out of it well with two goals in a
minute midway through the second half. Hyde were still without
Anthony Callaghan but John Gaynor had a sound game as his
replacement. In fact the whole team played well. Paul Jones and John
O’Kane were strong at the back, whilst Craig Buckley was full of
running in midfield. Phil Salt again orchestrated everything from
midfield. The three forwards were again a handful for an overworked
defence.
In the first half, Anthony Wright, Buckley and
Matty McNeil all went close, but it was Hyde who unluckily went in
behind as Darren Twigg had headed home
on 26 minutes from inside the six yard box.
Hyde continued to have all the play in the
second half and eventually struck in the 68th minute when
Neil Tolson hammered home after McNeil
headed on. Tolse should have scored a few minutes earlier after a
great run was foiled by a good save, although a yard either side
would have been a goal. Within a minute, Hyde were in front. The
referee played a good advantage after a very late tackle by Twigg
had left Steven Clegg prostrate. Salt sent in a screamer, Tim
Mullock failed to hold and McNeil
slotted home. Twigg was lucky to escape with a yellow, as Clegg was
carried off with an ankle injury, making him very doubtful for
Saturday.
There was no holding the Tigers now as they
finished strongly to record their fourth successive win in the
league to take them to fifth in the table.
Hyde
– Westhead, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil. Subs –
Ellis, Watts and Kielthy.
Kidsgrove
– Mullock, Spellman, Mountford, Alexander, Coverley,
Ashton, Giggs, Baker, twigg, Robinson, Eyre. Subs
– Ward, Draper and Quinn.
REPORT MARK DRING
27-09-03 ASTON UNITED 1 HYDE UNITED 1 FAC qr
att.446
This was a pulsating local derby with Ashton
probably creating the more chances, but the Tigers having the
majority of the play, especially in the second half as the match
reached an exciting finale. In the last minute Neil Tolson could
have sealed it for Hyde, whilst in injury time John Baker made a
superb save (one of many) to take the match to a replay at Hyde on
Monday.
The Tigers were without Steven Clegg, injured
at Kidsgrove and Mark Westhead, who has returned to Stevenage.
Anthony Kielthy and Baker deputised. Baker had a great game marred
only by giving away a needless penalty, which Phil
Denney converted on 50 minutes. Hyde were certainly up
against it then, but they showed great character in the second half
as they pounded the Ashton defence.
For the first half an hour or so, Ashton had
most of the play on a very bumpy Hurst Cross pitch, but the Tigers,
slowly but surely, clawed their way back into the game and were
probably happy to go in at half-time level.
After only five minutes of the second half,
they were behind, but then it was all Hyde. Ashton were still
dangerous on the occasional breakaway and both defences were kept
under pressure. Hyde had lost Ian Pendlebury at half time with a
dead-leg, but Paul Jones and John O’Kane had brilliant games at
the back, whilst Craig Buckley, suffering from blurred vision,
covered every inch of the pitch, as did his mate, John Gaynor. As
the game progressed. Phil Salt commanded midfield as Hyde piled on
the pressure.
The equaliser came on 69 minutes and what a
goal it was. Anthony Wright, without a
goal in three games, cut in from the right and curled a left foot
curler into the top corner. It was nothing less than the Tigers
deserved and prompted delirious scenes on the terraces from what was
a predominately Hyde crowd. The goal set up a grandstand finish with
the Tigers piling forward with Ashton on the back foot, but they
held firm and could have snatched it in injury time, without the
intervention of Baker.
Numerous injuries and knocks to sort out for
Monday, but the Tigers are still in the draw ( Monday 11am) after
again showing great character in coming from behind.
Hyde
– Baker, Kielthy, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Ellis, Watts, Barker, Meszaros
and Callaghan.
Ashton – Trueman, Thackeray, White, Allison, Adams, Royle, Fluery, Garvey, Denney, Johnson, Cooney.Subs – Dormer, Dyson, Aspinall, Wilson and Johnston
REPORT MARK DRING
27-09-03 HYDE UNITED 1 ASHTON UTD 2 FACqr2replay att489
This was another pulsating local derby with
Ashton claiming the victory in another close game. Like Saturday,
Hyde had much of the play, but could not find the killer touch in
front of goal. There were too many occasions where they tried to
walk the ball in the net. Ashton on the other hand were more direct
and gave a strong performance, especially in the second half, and
probably just about edged it.
Phil Denney was
again a handful up front and it was he who gave Ashton the lead on
23 minutes with a well taken goal after the Tigers were caught too
far upfield following their own corner.
The Tigers were still without Steven Clegg,
injured at Kidsgrove and Mark Westhead, who had returned to
Stevenage. Anthony Kielthy and Baker again deputised in an unchanged
team. Baker had another good game, although his kicking was poor.
Both teams stepped up the tempo in the second
half, and the referee produced his card five times, although there
was not a bad tackle in either game. With the Tigers having more of
the play, an equaliser was always possible, but it was Ashton who
increased their lead on 69 minutes through Craig
Fleury, who shot high into the net.
Hyde brought on Watts and Barker and then staged a grandstand finish. Craig Buckley pulled a goal back on 81 minutes after the ball had gone around the area like a pin-ball, and although he came close again in the last minute, Ashton hung on and the Tigers paid the penalty for not finishing the job in the second half on Saturday.
Hyde – Baker, Kielthy, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor, Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Ellis, Watts, Barker, Meszaros and Callaghan.
Ashton – Trueman, Thackeray, White, Allison, Adams, Royle, Fluery, Garvey, Denney, Johnson, Dormer. Subs – Cooney, Dyson, Aspinall, Wilson and Johnston.
REPORT MARK DRING
04-10-03 NORT FERRIBY UTD 3 HYDE
UNITED 2 FATpr att.178
Inability to defend corners and lacklustre finishing cost the Tigers
dear on their second visit of the season to North Ferriby. For most
of the game Hyde were streets ahead in terms of possession and
chances, but fell to a sucker goal four minutes into injury time,
after the referee has indicated just two minutes added time. The
Tigers had a point, but the game should have been won well before
then, in spite of poor performances overall from the officials..
North Ferriby left back Paul Foot had a hand in four of the goals. He headed in three corners and then diverted the ball past his own keeper for Hyde’s second equaliser. His first goal came after just ten minutes, but Hyde were level on 18 minutes when John O’Kane headed in a Phil Salt free kick. Joy was short-lived as two minutes later Foot headed his second. For the rest of the half, Hyde created all the chances but contrived to miss the lot.
The second half started the same way as after
only 20 seconds Craig Buckley was through only for Paul Sharp to
dive at his feet and save.It took Mr Foot to assist on 56 minutes to
get Hyde level. It looked a certain victory with Ferriby struggling
for fit players at the back and desperately hanging on. More chances
came and went, a couple of good penalty claims turned down for hand
ball, and then in injury time, Neil Tolson slotted past Sharp only
to see his shot go inches wide.
Immediately down the other end, a needless
corner, and up popped Foot again. Only the referee knows where the
‘extra minutes’ came from as the ball only when out of play once
before the dreaded corner, but at the end of the day, the Tigers
have only themselves to blame.
Hyde
– Baker, Kielthy, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Ellis, Watts, Barker, Meszaros
and Callaghan.
North Ferriby – Sharp, Lowthorpe, Foot, Fisher, Dewhurst, G.Botham,Hartley, Wood, Exley, Perrin, Stead..Subs – Gowen, Moore and Sewell.
REPORT MARK DRING
07-10-03 LEEK TOWN 5
HYDE
UNITED 2 UNI att. 304
Again it was an inability to defend set pieces and no
luck in front of goal which cost the Tigers dear at Harrison Park.
For much of the game they were the best team. Phil Salt had a
storming game in midfield, but the Tigers could not turn their
superiority into goals when it mattered and looked so vunerable at
the back, it was untrue.
The referee had an absolute nightmare from the
fourth minute when he booked John O’Kane for an innocuous tackle.
By the second half he had lost control completely. Fortunately the
players behaved themselves, but he did Hyde no favours as first of
all he failed to give a penalty when the impressive Anthony Wright
was brought down and then later awarding Leek one when Anthony
Kielthy took the ball. In between there were many long blasts on the
whistle and an ability to keep changing his mind.
Following O’Kane’s booking, the resultant
free kick was swung in and Wayne Johnson scrambled
home. However the Tigers were back in it only a minute later as Ian
Pendlebury rounded off a sweet passing move by equalising.
For the rest of the half, Hyde played some neat football, but again
shot themselves in the foot as John Baker made a hash of a back pass
and from the resultant corner ( referee has firstly given a goal
kick and walked away), Dave Whittaker
netted.
The second half was only a minute old when
another corner allowed Whittaker his
second. Even at this stage the Tigers were still in it and after the
penalty that never was, Neil Tolson struck the bar. Down the other
end Whittaker completed his hat-trick
from the spot and the Tigers were reeling.
Wright pulled one
back after good work from Tolson on the right and there was a
glimmer of hope. Salt immediately hit a post, but that was it as Phil
Hadland, recently signed back from Colchester, broke free and
scored Leek’s fifth to give the scoreline a flattering look for
Leek.
Dave Swanick appeared for Leek with 15 minutes
left, but even he could not help the Tigers on the night. Edgy
goalkeeping and woeful defending will be a lasting memory as Hyde
fell to their third defeat on the bounce.
Hyde
– Baker, Kielthy, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Ellis, Watts, Barker.
Leek Town – Hodgson, Woolliscroft, Hassall, Ridley,Johnson, Sicharenycz, Danylyk, Mac Pherson, Whittaker, Hadland, Thornhill.Subs – Tevendale, Martin and Swanick
REPORT MARK DRING
11-10-03 HYDE
UNITED 1 KENDAL
TOWN 0 HYDE
UNITED UNI att. 244
The Tigers are back! A clean sheet – by
defination, no goals conceded from a set piece! This was a hard
earned, but fully deserved victory. It was never a great game and a
card happy referee didn’t help. He finished with seven yellows and
a red, with the three worst tackles in the game going unpunished.
Kendal’s James Sheppard got the red in the last minute for two
yellows. He couldn’t complain as he should have received one about
an hour earlier for a ghastly tackle on John O’Kane.
Matty McNeil got
the only goal when he headed home an Ian Pendlebury corner on 30
minutes. For the rest of the time, the Tigers battled, created their
usual hatful of chances, but couldn’t score again. Phil Salt came
the closest near the end when he rattled the bar. Anthony Wright
again did well and on another day could have had a couple as could
Bugsy. But with just a single goal advantage, Hyde had to defend
well and Kendal were always in the game.
McNeil was the pick of the forwards and always
a danger. He was booked for a harmless tackle and only the referee
knows why. The fact he, himself, was fouled nearly every time he
went for the ball is academic I suppose.
O’Kane showed his class at the back and Hyde
looked more composed with the return of Steven Clegg at right back.
Overall a staisfactory performance after 3 defeats on the bounce. We
will need to be at our best this week though, with trips to Bamber
& Guiseley.
Hyde
– Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Kielthy, Ellis & Watts.
Kendal Town – Ward, Corcoran, Galley, Burrow, R.Close, Hayton, Stuart, Dixon, J.Close, Adjet, Sheppard.Subs – Clitheroe, Prosser and Skeoch
REPORT MARK DRING
14-10-03 BAMBER BRIDGE 2
HYDE
UNITED 3 UNI att. 182
The Tigers continued their fine run in the league, making it six wins out of the last seven as they comprehensively beat Bamber Bridge at Irongate, despite the closeness of the scoreline. Only a combination of fine saves from former Tiger, Graham Bennett, and a series of missed chances prevented a rout.
Hyde certainly turned on the style, and were
well in control for most of the game. Phil Salt was tremendous in
midfield and inspired all around him. Up front the three forwards
worked tirelessly and with more precision in front of goal could
have had a bagful.
Bamber got a goal start as
Stuart
Honor was allowed to turn in the box after only four minutes
to slot home. The Tigers immediately fought back and Bennett saved
brilliantly from Neil Tolson. It was Tolson again on 28 minutes, who
turned superbly in the box, and was brought down by last man, Dave
Leaver. A red card for him, whilst Tolson
hammered home the spot-kick off the underside of the bar. Seven
minutes later and the Tigers were in front. Craig Buckley drifted
one towards the top corner and Matty McNeil
scored with the deftest of touches.
In the second half, Hyde were on the rampage
despite losing John Gaynor with a hamstring injury. He was replaced
by debutant Nick Hill from Leigh. A quick reshuffle at the back with
John O’Kane moving into midfield. It was he and Salt who dictated
matters from then on, spreading play superbly and making the extra
man count. He firstly put Anthony Wright through, but his shot
whistled inches wide. Chances came and went until the 82nd
minute when O’Kane set up Buckley, who made no mistake. Buckley
then hit the post with a screamer and it was champagne stuff from
the Tigers.
Mark Wane pulled one back in the last minute after Jimmy King had hit the post to give Hyde a tense couple of minutes, but make no mistake, Hyde fully deserved this victory and now look strong championship contenders.
Hyde
– Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Gaynor,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil. Subs – Kielthy, Ellis & Hill.
Bamber Bridge – Bennett, McCann, Leaver, Milligan, Squires, Shepherd, Skeoch, Butler,Wane, Honor, King. Subs – Halliwell, Steel and Fogarty
REPORT MARK DRING
18-10-03 GUISELEY 0
HYDE
UNITED 1 UNI att. 288
The Tigers continued their fine run in the league, making it seven wins out of the last eight as they won at Guiseley with a battling workmanlike performance. There was no goal feast as in some recent games, but the Tigers fought hard on a poor pitch and fully deserved the points.
John Baker performed well in goal and made a
brilliant double save in the last minute from Guiseley’s first
shots to ensure the Tigers came away with the three points.It should
have been settled well before that. Chances were again created, but
not taken. Matty McNeil had an off day for once, but Anthony
Wright played well up front and scored a great opportunist
goal right on half time. That was the end of the scoring, but, for
once, the defence looked strong and never really looked like
conceding.
Paul Jones and John O’Kane sealed the middle,
whilst both full backs again found plenty of space to push forward.
Hyde gave a full debut to Nicky Hill in midfield and he played well
as a replacement for John Gaynor, who had a hamstring problem.
Four wins away from home, another win in the Sky kit, a clean sheet…Plenty for the many Hyde faithful in the crowd to talk about on the way home.A sterner test will come next Saturday with the visit of Gateshead.
Hyde – Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Hill, Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil. Subs – Kielthy, Ellis & Watts.
Guiseley –
Lamb, Hay, Sumner, Atkinson, Nettleton, Illingworth, Henry, Airdrie,
Jackson, Stuart, Chattoe. Subs – Cooke, Shuttleworth and Shaw.
REPORT MARK DRING
20-10-03 HYDE
UNITED 0 ALTRINCHAM
1 ULC att. 353
A bizarre gift goal eight minutes from time
sealed the the Tigers’ fate, but they deserved so much more from
an exciting fast flowing game. The goal came after a sustained spell
of Hyde pressure in which Anthony Wright struck the post from an
acute angle. Other chances came and went and extra –time was
looming when Steven Clegg threw the ball back to John Baker. He lost
his footing attempting to clear and Neil Hardy
had the simple task of side-footing into an empty net. It was cruel
luck on the Tigers who had given so much to the game.
Neil Tolson and Criag Buckley were unavailable,
so John Gaynor and Tony Ellis were recalled to an otherwise
unchanged team. The Tigers were on top for much of the first half
with an impressive display. It was only their finishing in front of
goal which let them down.
The second half carried on in the same vein.
Hyde playing some exhillerating football, but not finding the killer
touch when it mattered and were made to pay dear as Altrincham
snatched an unlikely winner.
The whole match was videoed and will make
pleasant watching. Well at least to the 82nd minute, when
it changes to a horror show, not to be showed before the watershed.
Hyde – Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones,
Hill, O’Kane, Gaynor, Salt, Ellis, Wright, McNeil. Subs –
Kielthy, Barker & Watts.
Alrincham – Coburn, Aspinall, Adams, Rose, Talbot, Creaney, Gardner, Band, Hardy, Thornley, Shuttleworth. Subs – Maddox, Welton and Lunt.
REPORT MARK DRING
22-10-03 HYDE
UNITED 6 FLIXTON
2 MPC1 att. 74
The Tigers made a victorious return to the Manchester Premier Cup by disposing of Flixton in front of a meagre crowd. Although it was a goal feast, and some very good goals too, it was not a particularly good game. Flixton gave a good account of themselves and never gave up. More precision in front of goal and it would have been closer. Hyde now travel to Mossley early in the New Year.
Hyde were still without Craig Buckley, whose brother is seriously ill, and John O’Kane had a knock. Neil Tolson returned and Mike Meszaros got his first full outing of the season, whilst Glyn Barker played 30 minutes in the second half and helped himself to two well taken goals.
Neil Tolson opened
the scoring on sixteen minutes when he rifled home and three minutes
later Meszaros made it two. Tolson
got his second on 29 minutes when a clearance rebounded off Meszaros’
back. Anthony Wright made it four on 57
minutes and was immediately replaced by Barker.
Robert Radcliffe
pulled one back on 61 minutes after John Baker had fumbled, but Barker
scored his first five minutes later. Gareth
Feeney pulled one back again with a Beckham style free kick,
but Barker lashed home another right on
time to give the Tigers a comprehensive victory. Gateshead on
Saturday will undoubtedly be a sterner test.
Hyde – Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones,
Hill, Kielthy, Meszaros, Salt, Tolson, Wright, Watts. Subs –
Barker, McNeil & Gaynor.
Flixton – Bibby, Thomas, Wright, Bowles, Kelly, Gradwell, Gilligan, Radcliffe, Feeney, Brickhill, McIlroy. Subs – Faraday and Bancroft
REPORT MARK DRING
25-10-03
HYDE
UNITED 0 GATESHEAD
2 UNI att. 214
This was a very poor performance from the
Tigers, and how they missed the suspended Phil Salt. Craig Buckley
and John Gaynor returned, but probably wished they hadn’t, whilst
team, in general, had a collective off day. Gateshead were never
really threatened once they had taken the lead on 15 minutes through
Richard Kent after the ball had come
back off a post. Rank bad defending was the only excuse.
Before that there had been a couple of half
chances for Hyde, but after that Terry Burke in the Gateshead goal
didn’t have a shot on target to save. Gateshead increased their
lead just after half-time after more sloppy defending and that was
curtains for the Tigers. Plenty of possession, but then so often,
giving the ball away or playing too deep, where it didn’t matter.
The visitors’ time-wasting and a lenient
referee prolonged the second half, but in all honesty, the Tigers
would not have scored before midnight. Thoughts were it was
game too far in a busy week, but the worst performers on the
day were actually the lads that had not played both midweek games.
Nicky Hill and Ian Pendlebury were the best for Hyde, and they had
played every game.
A possible relief that the game at Farsley is
off, so the lads can regroup for Colwyn Bay next Saturday. To keep
this match in context, it was only the second reverse in the last
nine league games and Gateshead, on this showing, were probably the
strongest team we have met.
Hyde
– Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Hill, Gaynor,
Tolson, Wright, McNeil. Subs – Kielthy, Ellis & Watts.
Gateshead – Burke, Harrison,Morgan, Cattanagh, Curtis, Bell, Kent,Blandford, Thompson, Chilton, Colvin. Subs – Reay, Dibie and Southern.
REPORT MARK DRING
01-11-03 COLWYN BAY 1
HYDE UNITED 1 UNI att. 280
Not for the first time this season, the Tigers
paid the penalty for not converting their chances as Colwyn Bay
snatched an injury time equaliser. The match should have been over
by half-time as the Tigers completely dominated the first half with
some great football, creating at least four chances they should have
taken. Only Craig Buckley’s effort actually made the target, but
Matthew Parry lived up to his name as he parried it over. Colwyn had
one half chance as a shot deflected off Nicky Hill and hit the
outside of the post.
Hyde were without John O’Kane with Hill
switching to the back, whilst Phil Salt returned in midfield. New
signing Keiran Delaney, from Curzon Ashton made an appearance as a
second half substitute.
The second half followed a similar pattern
although Colwyn were now seeing more of the ball. Hyde’s strikers
could not hit the target, let alone find the net, and it was left to
Steven Clegg to show how it should be
done on 64 minutes as he lashed home a cross-field pass from 20
yards, after the referee has played a good advantage.
Colwyn pushed forward and had a goal disallowed
for pushing as the Tigers defended valiantly. In the last ten
minutes panic set in, including the referee, who had until then had
an excellent game as he became influenced by the crowd and the home
team’s desperation. Hyde conceded free kick after free-kick on the
edge of the area. Even John Baker, who had a pretty quiet afternoon,
held onto the ball too long and was penalised. But just when it
looked that Hyde would
hold out, another free-kick, another blocked effort, but it fell to James
Glendenning on his home debut, and he hammered it home in the
first minute if injury time.
It was hard on the Tigers, but they have only
themselves to blame as the goal drought continues (excluding the
Flixton game). Colwyn Bay who were all at sea in the first half, and
should have been drowned under an avalanche of goals before
half-time.
Hyde
– Baker, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, Hill, Gaynor, Salt,
Tolson, Wright, McNeil. Subs – Kielthy, Ellis & Delaney.
Colwyn Bay – Parry, Porter, McMahon, van Blerk, Glendenning, Dwyer, P.Johnson, Kevan, Spink, Thomas, Evans. Subs – Dews, M.Johnson and MacLeod.
REPORT MARK DRING
09-11-03
HYDE UNITED 3 WORKINGTON
1 UNI att. 234
Hyde left it late against a workmanlike Workington side to secure the points, but the game should have been over long before Paul Jones headed in with three minutes to go. The match followed a similar pattern to many before. Plenty of possession but no killer touch up front.
Tim Mullock made his debut in goal for the
Tigers and gave the defence immediate stability, despite being
called into serious action only once in the game. He was adjudged to
have brought down Glen Murray, whose theatrical dive convinced the
referee. A yellow card for Mullock and no chance with Craig
Johnston’s penalty. The goal game just three minutes after Anthony
Wright had swung his left foot to give the Tigers the lead on
51 minutes.
The equaliser wasn’t really deserved, but it
meant Hyde had it all to do again. Neil Tolson was carried off on 68
minutes to leave the Tigers an uphill task, but Kieran Delaney added
some verve to midfield as the Tigers powered forward in the last
quarter.
Craig Buckley could have clinched it for Hyde
but contrived to miskick from a yard out, but it was a goal from an
unlikely source in Jones which put the
Tigers back in front. The football started to flow again and with a
minute to go, Phil Salt scored the goal
of the game with a beautiful shimmy before slotting home.
Alls well that end’s well as they say, but
the Tigers have to bury teams when they are on top, if they want to
be serious title contenders. There were some good individual
perfomances with Ian Pendlebury probably being the most impressive
on the day.
The experiment with Sunday football was
inconclusive. The scaremongers who predicted no crowd were proved
wrong as 234 turned up, which was 20 more than Gateshead a couple of
weeks ago, and nine more than the Saturday league average.
Hyde
– Mullock, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Hill,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Gaynor, Ellis & Delaney.
Workington – Pape, Grasy, Wharton, Varty, Henney,Lewis, Ennis, Hewson, Murray, Goulding, Johnston. Subs – Dawson, Coyles and Thornton
REPORT MARK DRING
15-11-03 KENDAL TOWN 1 HYDE UNITED 3 UNI att. 204
Hyde travelled up the M6 in beautiful weather,
watching Coyote Ugly and came away from this idyllic Cumbrian
setting with three points, which they fully deserved as there was
certainly nothing ugly about their performance.
Neil Tolson was passed fit, so it was an
unchanged Tigers who took the field. In an eventful opening, Tolson
was brought down in the area in the first minute, but the referee
waved aside penalty claims. Later in the game, he probably would
have give it. Down the other end, and who else but the much
travelled Andy Whittaker, headed home
after slack marking. Three minutes gone and one down.
Straight back to the other end and after Hyde
had missed a couple of sitters, Anthony Wright was flattened from
behind by the ‘keeper. Another penalty? No, again play on.
It was all Hyde and no surprise when
Craig
Buckley slid home Ian Pendlebury’s cross to equalise on 17
minutes. Third time lucky on 28 minutes when the referee gave a pen
and Tolson thundered the ball home.
Chances were still being created and Kendal were lucky to still be
in the game at half-time, Their best spell came just a couple of
minutes before the break when Tim Mullock produced two great saves
from point blank range.
Kendal stepped up the pace after the break, but
it was Hyde who were still dictating matters and man of the match Matty
McNeil clinched it on 70 minutes, when he rifled home after a
good move.
This was a great team performance and everybody
contributed. Mullock looked secure at the back, whilst Nicky Hill
looked comfortable in midfield and then left back for the second
half after Pendo had gone off with a face injury at half time.
Kieran Delaney showed his strength in the second half, whilst
Buckley made some superb runs. The three lads up front ‘worked
their tripe off’, according to the Manager, and I couldn’t put
it better myself.
The Tigers are playing some great stuff at the
moment. It is just a shame there are not more there to see them.
Bring on Bamber on Monday and a return to Ewen Fields for Dave
Swanick. I am sure he will get the reception he deserves!
Hyde
– Mullock, Clegg, Pendlebury, Jones, Buckley, O’Kane, Hill,
Salt, Tolson, Wright, McNeil.Subs – Gaynor, Ellis & Delaney.
Kendal – Ward, Pennington, Close, Burrow, Whittal-Williams, Prosser, Cliff, Dixon,Whittaker, Foster, Galley. Subs – Close, Clitheroe and McKenna.
REPORT MARK DRING