LEAGUE SEASON 2007 - 08
FAC =
F.A. Cup, FAT = F.A.Trophy, MPC = Manchester Premier Cup, CSC =
Cheshire Senior Cup,
qr
= Qualifying Round, qf =Quarter Final sf =Semi Final # =
Sent OFF
06-10-07 KETTERING TOWN 0 HYDE UNITED 2 LGE att. 1461
The Tigers travelled to Rockingham Road
and inflicted the first defeat of the season on Kettering with
a superb all round performance after the disappointments of
two cup exits the previous week.
Two clinical finishes from Gareth Seddon
sealed the points, but it was the total team performance which
satisfied Tiger’s boss, Steve Waywell. At the back, the
recalled Earl Davis produced an awesome performance, which
rightfully won him the Man of the Match Award. Not far behind
him were Peter Band and Chris Lynch. Craig Dootson handled
well throughout and made crucial saves when it mattered.
In midfield, Mark Innes grew in
confidence and controlled the game in the second half whilst
upfront Seddon returned to his best, despite being unwell for
most of the week. All the players played their part as Hyde
cruised to victory by the finish.
After a pretty even first half of few
chances, the game livened up after half-time. Waywell had
stressed the need to be patient in his half time team talk and
Hyde took their chances well when they came their way.
The home side started the second half the
better and Dootson made a fine save to thwart David Bridges.
However Hyde started to take control. Seddon and Matthew
Tipton both saw good efforts fly over the bar, before Dale
Johnson saw his shot fizz across the six yard line. Jean Paul
Marna then headed against the post for Kettering, but this
turned out to be their last real chance as a minute later
Innes played a superb pass into the path of Seddon
who made no mistake to give Hyde the lead on 65 minutes.
Kettering then made a triple substitution
as they tried to get back into the game, but it was Hyde who
were growing in confidence. Seddon brought a good save from
Lee Harper, before finding the net only for it to be
disallowed for a marginal offside decision. The Tigers were
not done, as Seddon picked up a
poor clearance from Harper in the last minute, accelerated
past the defenders before hammering the ball into the corner
to send the travelling Tigers’ fans into ecstasy.
The home side were beaten and Hyde played
out injury time without any alarms to register their best
performance of the season and hopefully a springboard to mount
a serious championship challenge later in the season.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Lynch, Davis, Band, Innes, Cartwright, Johnson, Tipton,
Seddon, Clee.Subs – Simm, Warner, Harrison, Robinson, Tolson.
Kettering Town – Harper, Dempster, Jaszczun, Graham, Kemp, Solkhon, Brady, Bridges, Burton, Marna, Hall. Subs – Collins, Lloyd, Westcarr, Rawle, Bussey.
REPORT BY TONY BEARD
13-10-07 ALFRETON
TOWN 0 HYDE UNITED 3 LGE att. 245
Hyde secured the points at Alfreton on
Saturday with a storming second half performance after they
were put to the sword for much of the first half.
This was the proverbial game of two
halves. In the first ten minutes, Nicky Clee had two chances
for the Tigers which went begging before the home side took
advantage of the slope and put the Hyde defence under severe
pressure. Time after time Alfreton launched high balls into
the midst of the Hyde penalty area, but once again Earl Davis
and Peter Band were up to the test. Behind them Craig Dootson
handled superbly and it was certainly the Tigers who were
pleased to hear the half–time whistle.
The second half was a different story
altogether. Hyde suddenly began to play and it was
Alfreton’s turn to be under the cosh. Dale Johnson again
always a threat from midfield miskicked, but the ball fell to Gareth
Seddon ten yards out and he made no mistake to put the
Tigers ahead on 54 minutes. Three minutes later, Clee hit a
post and the ball rebounded to safety.
The Tigers were now well on top and
Seddon turned provider on 65 minutes when he crossed for Matthew
Tipton to score with a rare header. Seddon was again
the provider for substitute Chris Simm
to grab Hyde’s third with five minutes left. It was fair
reward for Simm who caused havoc on the right with his
blistering pace for the final fifteen minutes.
Lee Cartwright was nominated man of the
match, but there were some strong contenders in the second
half. At half time many of the fans were wondering whether it
was after the Lord Mayor’s show, but not for the first time
this season, the Tigers knuckled down and fully deserved the
victory by the finish.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Lynch, Davis, Band, Innes, Cartwright, Johnson, Tipton,
Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Warner, Harrison, Robinson, Rick.
Alfreton Town – Lindley, Wilson(L), Agus, Barnard, Wilson (M), Brown, Law, Bowler, Cusworth, Knox, Reet. Subs – Doxey, Glass, Cockerill, Sutcliffe, Hannigan.
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
20-10-07
HYDE UNITED 2 BARROW
1 LGE att. 461
Substitute Chris Simm was the hero for Hyde when he converted a penalty in the fourth and final minute of injury time to secure the points for the Tigers. Not for the first time this season, Hyde were involved in injury time drama, but this time it went in their favour as Simm’s strike went straight down the middle to find the back of the net.
Despite a beautiful autumn afternoon and the pitch in fine shape, the match for the first hour failed to ignite. It was becoming an increasingly frustrating afternoon for the Tigers. Barrow battled all the way and prevented any service to the Hyde forwards and could have had a couple of goals themselves, but for some fine goalkeeping from Craig Dootson.
Everything changed on the hour mark though. With Dale Johnson about to be substituted, he burst through on the right and unleashed a rasping shot which Tim Deasy in the Barrow goal could only help into the net. It was only a temporary reprieve for Dale as two minutes later, the substitution took place.
Four minutes later, Matthew Tipton let his frustration get on top of him after being fouled by Chris Butler. His aggressive retaliation left referee Peter Bankes no option but to produce a red card for the Hyde striker and he will now miss four games. Butler was booked for his part in the incident and could have no complaints.
Barrow now felt they could get something from the game and Steve Waywell brought off Gareth Seddon and replaced him with Simm with ten minutes remaining. Just as it looked like the Tigers would hold out, Paul Brown struck a sweet shot into the corner of the net right on full time.
With four additional minutes to be played, the visitors sensed an unlikely victory until a moment of madness from former Tiger, Paul Jones, himself a late substitute, cost them dear. Jones won possession in his own half but then gave the ball away by a long ball which went straight through to Dootson. With the seconds ticking away, Dootson punted the ball upfield and Jones completed the felony by wrestling Simm to the floor and was promptly booked.
From the resultant free kick, Nathan
Wharton’s shot rebounded to Nicky Clee. His cross-cum shot took a
deflection, before striking the Steve McNulty on the arm. A red card
for the unlucky centre back and a penalty for the Tigers.
The irrepressible Simm
was calmness personified as his shot hit the back of the net to send
Hyde up to second place in the League, but it was hard on Barrow who
literally paid the ultimate penalty for losing concentration in the
final minute.
Hyde – Dootson, Brass,
Lynch, Davis, Band, Innes, Johnson, Pickford, Tipton, Seddon,
Clee.Subs – Simm, Robinson, Warner, Harrison, Wharton.
Barrow – Deasy, Woodyatt, Butler, Bayliss, McNulty, Henney, Bond, Sheridan, Thompson, Rogan, Brown.Subs – Jones, Walker, Elderton, Fowler, Wilson.
Man of the match – Chris Lynch
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
22-10-07
HYDE UNITED 6 GLOSSOP NORTH END 4 MPC att. 138
This was a terrific game for the neutral, but it must have
been exasperating for the respective managers, who saw their
sides concede a succession of comical goals most of which
could have been avoided.
The fact that it was 4-4 by half time
says it all. The second period did not quite live up to the
first and was marred by a serious injury to Hyde goalkeeper,
Richard Humphries who after lengthy treatment on the pitch was
rushed to hospital with a serious hip injury. That gave the
fans the opportunity to see Matthew Tipton in goal, although
he did not have a save to make, his kicking was a revelation.
Seven goals came in the first thirty
three minutes. Firstly, on 6 minutes, Chris
Simm took a high ball with a clever flick and turn that
bamboozled Jay Gorton, as he drove a great finish past Steffan
Fielding.
3 minutes later, Glossop were level when Dave
Young picked up the ball 40 yards out in midfield.
He was allowed to stride forward 15 yards before
curling a lovely shot into the bottom corner.
On 11 minutes, North End had the lead.
Dave Morris controlled a long ball at the corner of the
box, and looped an overhead shot goalwards.
He was unlucky to see the ball bounce off the bar, but Steve
Lunt was liveliest in the area to head in the rebound.
Less than a minute later, Simm might have
had another when he shot over on the turn, but the Tigers did
level on 17 minutes, when a corner was poorly cleared and Tom
Cowan, returning from injury, got a strong header in
from 10 yards that when through Fielding’s hands.
Parity lasted just 4 minutes until Dave
Hodges got down the left for Glossop and put in a deep cross
for Lunt. He mis-controlled slightly, but this fooled the defender,
allowing him the yard he needed to blast home.
How long would this lead last then?
Less than a minute, as Simm controlled and shaped to
shoot, but instead of hitting it with his left foot, he
accidentally knocked it sidewards with his right, directly
into the path of Tipton, who
netted easily.
The next goal came on 33 minutes when a
cross from the right was spilled by Fielding, and Tipton
had a simple tap in, but Glossop did not give up and on 41
Young played Lunt in on the right. His shot was blocked, but ran to Rick
Bailey on the left, and he netted well from a tight
angle.
The second half was never going to be as
open as the first, although had Humphries not got down well to
tip Lunt’s early header round the post it might have been.
North End held their own until Humphries’ horror
injury on 63 minutes.
After the enforced break, Hyde began to
assert, and Fielding was forced to tip over a dangerous free
kick. When the
goal came though, it was a controversial one.
On 72 minutes, Young felt he was fouled breaking from
defence, but the referee waved play on whilst the Glossop man
awaited treatment. Hyde
switched the ball wide to Adam Williams,
and from over 25 yards out he spotted Fielding off his line,
and lobbed a beauty. Young
continued his protestations and was booked for abusing the
linesman, adding insult to his painful injury.
The Tigers finally took control, and Dale
Johnson went very close.
There was still time for a scare when Karl Monks shot
just wide with a looping shot, but a low cross to waiting
forwards may have been a better option as Glossop failed to
test Tipton.
Instead it was the Tigers that sealed
their progress into the next Round when Parker brought down
Chris Lynch in the box.. Tipton may have liked the opportunity
to complete his hat-trick, but he was too far away to
influence Simm, who scored with a
better penalty than Saturday.
Hyde – Humphries,
Hampson, Cowan, Robinson, Band, Wharton, Johnson, Warner,
Tipton, Simm, Williams. Subs – Lynch, Clee, Rick, Pickford,
Innes.
Glossop – Fielding, Hollin, Lugsden, Young, Parker, Gorton, Morris, Bailey, Lunt, Monks, Hodges. Subs – Yates, Hind, Westmeirland, Williams.
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
30-10-07
LEIGH RMI 1 HYDE UNITED 5
LGE att.231
The Tigers produced a brilliant all round
display at Hilton Park on Tuesday to send them up to second in
the League. Steve Waywell must have been doubly pleased as
this was his first victory at the ground since leaving Leigh
five years ago.
At a ground lacking any atmosphere it was
Hyde who took the initiative from the start and could have
scored before Dale Johnson set up Steve
Pickford for the first goal on 10 minutes. On 26
minutes Gareth Seddon picked up a
through ball, rounded John Lamb in the Leigh goal and coolly
slotted home. Johnson himself
grabbed the third five minutes before the break as Hyde
threatened to run riot.
Seddon almost made it four immediately after the break, but Lamb produced one of many fine saves to keep the rampant Tigers at bay. However he could do nothing
on 50 minutes when Johnson’s through
ball found Matthew Tipton who
scored with an exquisite lob.
The home side were struggling to get to
grips with Hyde’s midfield players Mark Innes, who was voted
man of the match, and Pickford, whilst Nicky Clee and Johnson
caused havoc on the flanks. Upfront Seddon and Tipton caused
the overworked defence all sorts of problems throughout the
game.
Leigh pulled a goal back through Kieran
Lugsden on 61 minutes following a corner, but the
Tigers were not done and Tipton
grabbed his second and Hyde’s fifth on 90 minutes to round
off an excellent team performance.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Lynch, Davis, Band, Innes, Johnson, Pickford, Tipton,
Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Morley, Robinson, Cowan, Wharton.
Leigh RMI – Lamb,
Goulding, Roberts, Unsworth, Maddox, Ellison, Settle, Heald,
Lugsden, O’Neil, Smyth. Subs – Hill, Kelly, Brockley,
Jackson, Chetcuti.
Man of the match – Mark Innes
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
04-11-07
NUNEATON BOROUGHI 1 HYDE UNITED
0 LGE att. 889
The Tigers visited the new Liberty Way Stadium on Sunday, but
failed to keep their momentum going after an impressive start
and ultimately produced one of their worst performances of the
season to come away with nothing. Only a string of fine saves
from Craig Dootson in the closing stages stopped a more
emphatic defeat.
The new ground had a somewhat surreal
look. The pitch was massive with a combination of rugby and
football markings, whilst the ‘main stand’ was a
scaffolding pole structure with a plastic roof. Most of the
buildings were of a prefab nature and left fans questioning
whether the ‘old’ ground was actually better.
Hyde had Chris Simm replacing the
suspended Matthew Tipton with Lee Cartwright returning to the
bench. After just three minutes a screamer from Steve Pickford
struck Simm and went inches wide. The Tigers then had a
penalty claim for handball and minutes later another stronger
appeal when a defender clearly handled. The Referee, well
positioned, said he hadn’t seen it. It was the first of a
number of errors from Mr. Martin who seemed intent on trying
to impress the watching Assessors rather than actually
refereeing the game.
After twenty five minutes, Tom Cowan
replaced Chris Lynch, who sustained an arm injury and by now
the Tigers had lost much of their early impetus and were never
to recover it.
For once the midfielders never took
control meaning no quality service to the forwards, whilst at
the back, the defence had an off day apart from the impressive
Dootson. Nuneaton were big and strong and on the day and Hyde
struggled to cope.
The only goal came on 50 minutes when Neil
Moore, completely unmarked, headed home a corner. Ten
minutes later, the home side had the ball in the net again,
but the referee this time had seen an infringement.
The Tigers never really looked like
producing an equaliser and it was down to Dootson to keep them
in the game with a number of excellent saves in the final
quarter. A bad day at the office for the Tigers, but a win
against Southport on Saturday would make it a distant memory.
Hyde – Dootson, Brass, Lynch, Davis, Band, Innes, Johnson, Pickford, Simm, Seddon, Clee. Subs – Cartwright, Morley, Robinson, Cowan, Wharton.
Nuneaton – Acton,
Travis, Franklin, Curtis, Moore, Cowan, Collins, Pritchard,
Brown, Stepien, Mc Ilwain. Subs – Quailey, Palmer, Williams,
Muggleton, Burgess.
Man of the match – Craig Dootson
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
10-11-07 HYDE UNITED 1 SOUTHPORT 3 LGE att. 611
In mid-September the Tigers visited Haig
Avenue and were desperately unlucky not to come away with a
victory. In the return match at Ewen Fields on Saturday, Hyde
contrived to produce a dreadful performance for the second
week running and were never in the contest.
In the first half they gifted the
visitors three goals and from that point onwards there was
only going to be one winner. The second half fizzled out with
the Tigers unable to exert any pressure on Southport and it
was the visitors who always looked likely to snatch another
goal.
Southport took the lead on 16 minutes
when Mark Houghton broke free on
the right. His harmless looking cross was turned past Craig
Dootson by Tiger’s skipper, Chris Brass. The visitors added
another five minutes later when Hyde failed to deal with an
in-swinging corner from Neil Prince. They had plenty of
opportunities to clear, but after a game of ping pong, the
ball fell to Chris Holland who
rifled it home.
Hyde pulled a goal back on 35 minutes
when a harmless looking shot from Mark Innes was deflected
into the patch of Dale Johnson,
who made no mistake from fifteen yards. This was a lifeline
for Hyde they hardly deserved, but they then contrived to
shoot themselves in the foot right on half time.
Houghton
again found space on the right with half the defence
statuesque waiting for an offside flag, the others played the
forward on. His shot was going straight into the arms of
Dootson before the luckless Earl Davis inextricably dived full
length to head the ball past the disbelieving ‘keeper.
It was certainly becoming the game of
bizarre goals and fans waited excitedly over the half time
break to see what the Tigers could conjure up in the second
period. An early shot from Johnson was about the sum total of
it as the game faded badly with Southport in total control and
Hyde left to rue the fact that they had defended abysmally and
paid the price.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Lynch, Davis, Morley, Innes, Johnson, Pickford,
Cartwright, Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Band, Robinson,
Cowan, Wharton.
Southport – Whiteside, Lever, Barratt, Hocking, Lee, Holland, Houghton, Blakeman, Robinson, Powell, Prince. Subs – Prout, Noon, Smith, Watt, Dugdale.
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
13-11-07
TAMWORTH 3 HYDE UNITED
2 Settanta Sheild att. 187
Hyde were desperately unlucky at Tamworth
on Tuesday night when they went out of the Setanta Shield in
the closing seconds of extra time. It was hard on the Tigers
who had given their all, but they paid the price for a series
of missed chances.
The Tigers were rocked before the game as
Lee Cartwright and Steve Pickford were ruled out through
injury, and although Gerry Harrison and Dale Johnson were
named as subs, both were sick, and unable to take part. To
make things worse, Chris Brass and Chris Lynch both sustained
injuries during the game and had to come off. Tamworth too
were without highly rated ‘keeper, Jose Veiga, who had
dislocated his shoulder the previous day.
The game started sensationally when
Tamworth’s Anthony Robinson contrived to miss an open goal
from just two yards in the second minute. The ball was cleared
upfield and stand in ‘keeper, Dave Clarke brought down
Gareth Seddon in the area. No card for Clarke surprisingly,
but Seddon made no mistake from
the spot.
Three minutes later, Seddon had the ball
in the net again after a flowing move, but was ruled
marginally offside. It was a tight call and film evidence
later suggested the linesman had got it wrong.
Tamworth struck a post before Jonathan
Richter floated in a cross on twenty seven minutes and under
pressure from Jake Sheridan, Brass headed past Craig Dootson.
Two own goals in two games. Not a good week for the Hyde
skipper and made even worse minutes later as he was forced to
come off with a back injury.
On 33 minutes, the recalled Nathan
Wharton struck a post for Hyde, but Tamworth immediately broke
upfield and Nick Wright converted
from close range. Seddon had a couple of chances before the
break, but Hyde went in a goal down after a pulsating first
half.
The Tigers should have levelled
immediately after the break with Wharton twice going close
before Chris Simm struck a post with a neat header and he
struck the post again on 66 minutes as Hyde searched for the
equaliser.
The home side were reduced to ten men on
83 minutes when Chris Nurse was shown a second yellow for a
dreadful challenge on Lynch. It probably should have been a
straight red, but either way he was off as was Lynch who was
carried off. Enter Neil Tolson
and within five minutes he had equalised to send the tie into
extra time.
Seddon had an early chance and it was
still Hyde who dominated the extra period after being in
charge for much of the second half. Wharton was just over with
a screamer before the inconsistent referee produced a flurry
of yellow cards in the second period. There was then heartache
for the Tigers as Adie Smith
headed in Des Lyttle’s disputed free kick with just seconds
remaining. The linesman had indicated a throw for Hyde, but
was overruled by the referee who was thirty yards further
away, It was desperately cruel on Hyde who had given so much
in adverse circumstances, but nevertheless a third defeat in a
row.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Cowan, Robinson, Morley, Innes, Band, Wharton, Simm,
Seddon, Clee. Subs – Johnson, Lynch, Davis, Tolson,
Harrison.
Tamworth –
Clarke, Lyttle, Langdon,
Briscoe, Bains, Smith, Richter, Nurse, Robinson, Wright,
Sheridan. Subs – Williams, Sheldon, Ebdon, Law, Leonard.
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
17-11-07
HUCKNALL TOWN 1 HYDE UNITED
4 LGE att. 401
The Tigers arrived at Watnall Road on the
back of three defeats, whilst Hucknall were in the midst of a
good run and had won at Boston on Wednesday. Although another
potential banana skin for Hyde, the Tigers dominated the game
from start to finish and the result was never in doubt.
Hyde took the lead after just three
minutes when a long throw from Nicky Clee was flicked on and Dale
Johnson made no mistake from close range. Nathan
Wharton, who was Hyde’s best player, had a shot
deflected inches wide before he volleyed Hyde’s second on 29
minutes after good work from Johnson.
Despite the fact Matthew Tipton
(suspended) and Gareth Seddon (injured) were missing the
Tigers looked dangerous in attack with Chris
Simm causing the hesitant Hucknall defence all sorts of
problems all afternoon. Wharton and Pickford were back to
their best in midfield, whilst at the back, Hyde finished with
all four centre halves playing after Tom Cowan had gone off
injured midway through the first half.
He really came into his own in the second
half after he lashed home Hyde’s third goal on 53 minutes
after bursting clear to put the game beyond Hucknall’s
reach. He then grabbed a second eight minutes later when he
hammered the ball home after some poor defending.
It was now all Hyde who maintained
control and could have had more, especially as Hucknall
‘keeper, Aaron Reid was injured in a challenge with Simm.
Although they had a reserve goalie on the bench, the home side
had already used all their subs.
Substitute Ian
Robinson grabbed a late consolation for Hucknall in
injury time, which was one of their few efforts on target, but
it was definitely Hyde’s day with an excellent team
performance.
A nice touch at the end as Craig Dootson
helped carry off his counterpart after his team-mates had
abandoned him in the goal and gone to the dressing room,
presumably for a roasting from the irate Hucknall management
team.
Hyde – Dootson,
Robinson, Cowan, Morley, Band, Innes, Johnson, Pickford, Simm,
Wharton, Clee. Subs – Davis, Harrison, Williams, Tolson,
Seddon.
Hucknall – Reid, Asher, Mac Pherson, Wilson, Sucharwycz, Cooke, Cullingworth, Mayman, Saunders, Bacon, Graves. Subs – Kistell, Howell, Robinson, Timons, Smith.
Man of the match – Nathan Wharton
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
19-11-07
HYDE UNITED 3 SOLIHULL
MOORS 0 LGE att.315
The Tigers had a comfortable victory over
a poor Solihull Moors side on Monday to move up to second
place in the league. It was mid January last season when they
achieved this season’s points tally, so Hyde are well on
track for a play-off place, but there is still a long way to
go.
Hyde were never really at their best in
this game, but in all honesty they didn’t need to be once
the Tigers had grabbed two goals in five minutes midway
through the first half.
Three defenders failed fitness tests, so
Hyde kept with the back four who finished at Hucknall, namely
all four centre halves, so for once, the Tigers towered above
the opposition and proceeded to win most balls in the air.
Both Peter Band and Steve Pickford had
gone close before Chris Simm put
Hyde in front on 21 minutes after Dave Morley’s header had
come back off the bar following a Nicky Clee corner. Five
minutes later it was Simm’s turn to set up Morley
following a goal-line scramble.
The game was all but over as a contest
despite the fact Hyde took their foot off the gas. Solihull
had more possession in the second period but never seriously
threatened the Hyde goal, although Craig Dootson did have to
make a couple of smart saves.
Solihull struggled to contain Clee
throughout and he went close on a number of occasions. Steve
Waywell used the opportunity to ease Matthew
Tipton back into the fray after suspension after an
hour and he duly obliged with a goal on 74 minutes. His fierce
cross-shot caused havoc in the Moors defence and Lee Collins
could only help it into the net.
A satisfactory night for the Tigers despite the fact they have played better in other games, although there seemed to be plenty of gas in the tank if they needed it. There will be stiffer tests ahead.
Hyde – Dootson,
Robinson, Davis, Morley, Band, Innes, Johnson, Pickford, Simm,
Wharton, Clee. Subs – Williams, Harrison, Tolson, Tipton,
Seddon.
Solihull Moors – Ghent, Midworth, Motteram, Collins, Streete, Gould, Faulds, Middleton, Moore, Anderson, Ducros. Subs – Davidson, Jakab, Duggan, Hartill, Rachel.
Man of the match – Earl Davis
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
24-11-07
VAUXHALL MOTORS 1 HYDE UNITED
0 FAT att.199
This was another nightmare performance
from the Tigers in a Cup competition as they succumbed at the
first hurdle for the fourth time this season, three of them,
including this one, without troubling the scorers as they say.
Matthew Tipton and Gareth Seddon were
recalled upfront, with Chris Simm demoted to the bench despite
being leading scorer and three goals in his last two games, At
the back, Chris Brass replaced the injured David Morley,
although both he and Chris Lynch found themselves on the
bench, although only likely to be used in an emergency. Nathan
Wharton retained his place in midfield at the expense of Mark
Innes, who was given a rest.
Despite the rights and wrongs of the line
up, Hyde soon had to reshuffle as Peter Band suffered a neck
spasm and had to come off. Wharton went to full back with
Innes, after the shortest rest imaginable took over in
midfield.
It all turned out to be immaterial as
Hyde produced a woeful performance being unable to string
together any passes. Having played against the wind and kept
it to no score at the break through good fortune and Craig
Dootson’s excellent saves, a better performance was
anticipated in the second period by the Hyde faithful who
outnumbered the locals in a meagre crowd of 199.
Unfortunately it was not forthcoming as
Vauxhall took the lead five minutes after the break through Peter
Heler, who slid the ball home at the near post. Former
Tiger Anthony Wright almost made it two ten minutes later, but
was thwarted by Dootson’s brilliance. The closest Hyde came
to an equaliser was on seventy five minutes, when Tipton and
Simm tried to force the ball home in a melee.
As Hyde tried to press for an equaliser
in the closing stages, leading scorer Paul Taylor had two
glorious chances to increase Vauxhall’s lead, but he missed
them both, despite rounding Dootson for one of them, but it
didn’t matter as the Tiger’s failed to exert any pressure
on the Vauxhall back line.
The old adage that Hyde can now
concentrate on the league was mooted at the end, but with nine
defeats already this season in all competitions, the talented
Tigers have to show more consistency and get results even in
adversity, if they are to be taken seriously.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Davis, Robinson, Band, Wharton, Johnson, Pickford,
Tipton, Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Innes, Morley, Harrison,
Lynch.
Vauxhall – Murphy, Owens, Dames, Field, Mc Mahon, Brannan, Heler, Griffiths, Wright, Marsh Evans, Taylor. Subs – Smith, Notte, Wignall, Clarke, Macauley.
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
01-12-07
HYDE UNITED 5 HINCKLEY UNITED
2 LGE att.402
The Tigers bounced back to form after
their debacle at Vauxhall last week with an emphatic victory
over Hinckley United at windswept Ewen Fields. They made it 12
goals in their last three league games to pose the question,
what crisis?
Although this was an exciting match, the
game was always simmering just under the surface and Hinckley
showed lack of discipline when they needed it. None more so
than Colin Marrison. After being given two opportunities to
retreat ten yards from a free kick, he was booked.
Eventually walking slowly away he uttered an expletive
to referee Mr Sheffield and was promptly shown a straight red
card. Abject stupidity in the extreme. The referee had an
excellent match in a game which always threatened to boil
over.
By the time Marrison had gone for an
early shower, the visitors were already two goals down. Gareth
Seddon, back to his best, put Hyde ahead on 11 minutes
after Hinckley had failed to clear Chris Brass’ free kick
and then turned provider a minute later when he set up Matthew
Tipton to side foot home.
There was no coming back for the visitors
and the Tigers should have added to their tally in a one-sided
first half. Seddon twice went close, as did on-loan debutant,
Dale Stephens from Bury. Luke Edwards was booked on 31 minutes
for a bad challenge on Mark Innes as Hinckley seemed content
on giving away free kicks. Only ‘keeper Sean Bowles saved
them from real hammering as the half drew to a close.
Leon Jackson replaced Owen Story at the
break for the visitors, but he hadn’t had a touch before Seddon
burst clear to score Hyde’s third with a clinical finish.
Leon Kelly then hit the post for Hinckley, but the ball was
cleared downfield quickly and Seddon’s hat-trick was only
thwarted by Bowles’ fingertips.
As tempers became frayed, Seddon was
booked for an unnecessary challenge and was promptly replaced
by leading scorer Chris Simm. Man of the match, Nicky Clee had
a shot cleared off the line before he set up the irrepressible
Simm, who headed home on 80
minutes.
In a crazy five minutes, substitute Alex
Johnson then pulled a goal back and two minutes later Edwards
added a second. Not to be outdone, Simm
then burst through and scored with a delightful twenty five
yard chip on the run. A fantastic goal to end a thoroughly
entertaining game.
There were plenty of positives for the Tigers. Dave Morley was a tower of strength at the back and Chris Brass managed to avoid a hat-trick of own goals with a solid performance. Stephens added pace and vision to midfield, whilst Clee ran Hinckley ragged. Tipton and Seddon were always a threat and it was no consolation to Hinckley to see Seddon replaced by the League’s leading goal scorer Simm, who wasted no time in grabbing another couple of goals.
Hyde – Dootson,
Brass, Band, Morley, Robinson, Innes, Stephens, Pickford,
Tipton, Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Johnson, Wharton,
Harrison, Lynch.
Hinckley –
Bowles, Roma,
Lenton, Lavery, Byron, Platnauer, Story, Storer, Marrison,
Kelly, Edwards. Subs – Jackson, Johnson, Philpott, Shilton,
Belford.
Man of the match – Nicky Clee
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD
15-12-07 HYDE UNITED 2 NUNEATON BOROUGH 0 LGE att.408
Hyde stormed to the top of Blue Square
North with an emphatic victory over in-form Nuneaton Borough
at Ewen Fields. The visitors struggled throughout being unable
to control the lively Hyde forwards and could have been five
goals down by half-time had the Tigers had a bit more luck in
front of goal.
On a superb playing surface and an
excellent referee in charge this was a thrilling game from
start to finish/ Although Nuneaton came up against the Tigers
at their best, they showed glimpses of the team which had
recently won the Team of the Month and may well be play-off
contenders come the end of the season.
In a one sided first half, it was very
much the Gareth Seddon show. He opened the scoring for Hyde on
nine minutes when he picked up a pinpoint pass from Matthew
Tipton and hammered the ball past Darren Acton into the corner
of the net. He had already twice gone close and then on twenty
one minutes had the ball in the net, but was foiled by an
offside flag.
However five minutes later he broke clear
and smashed his shot against the crossbar, but Tipton
following up cracked the ball home for Hyde’s second. Before
half time the Tigers hit the woodwork three more times. First
Chris Lynch hit the bar with
a cross from the left before the irrepressible Seddon
broke clear again to strike the base of a post. Right on half
time Nicky Clee had a fierce shot against the bar. It had been
pretty much one way traffic although Craig Dootson in the Hyde
goal still had to make two terrific saves as the game ebbed
and flowed.
The visitors stepped up the pace after
the break but they found the Hyde defence in resolute form
with David Morley outstanding. Brian Quailey and Danny
Williams were introduced upfront for Nuneaton but it was still
Hyde more likely to score. Seddon and Tipton both went close
as the visitors continued to find the Hyde forwards too hot to
handle. All afternoon they struggled to cope with the pace of
Seddon and the great support play from Tipton and Clee and in
all honesty they did well to only concede two goals.
In the final minute, man of the match,
Dootson made a superb save from Andy Brown to end an
entertaining and pulsating afternoon and send the home fans
home happy.
On this sort of form, Hyde are certainly
serious championship contenders. There were plenty of
excellent individual performances which added to an impressive
overall team showing on a bitterly cold afternoon.
Hyde – Dootson, Brass, Lynch, Morley, Band, Innes, Stephens, Pickford, Tipton, Seddon, Clee. Subs – Simm, Johnson, Cartwright, Wharton, Harrison.
Wharton for Seddon
89, Johnson for Lynch 50
Nuneaton –
Acton, Collins,
Franklin, Curtis, Moore, Cowan, Palmer, Pritchard, Brown,
Jordan, Mc Ilwain. Subs – Quailey, Oddy, Williams, Edmund,
Burgess.
Quailey for Jordan
70, Williams for Pritchard 70
Man of the match – Craig Dootson
Referee – P Bankes, Liverpool
REPORT
BY TONY BEARD