Chairman hopes win will kick-start revival

BARRY Stone hopes Saturday’s 4-1 win over Guildford City will give AFC Hayes’ youngsters the confidence they need to pull away from the Combined Counties Premier drop zone, writes Tim Street.

The Brook have found life difficult since dropping out of the Southern League, with a 16th-place finish in the Combined Counties Premier last term followed by another campaign spent at the sharp end of the table.

And while goals from Austin Schofield, Daniel McDonnell, Rhys Rabess and Nathaniel Mensah only moved them up one place to 19th, there have been signs improvememts in recent weeks.

Although the stats will show it was their first win in 10 games, before last week’s defeat to Walton & Hersham, the Brook had drawn three in a row and only lost 3-2 to leaders Hartley Wintney.

Chairman Stone said: “It’s not diffcult to see we’re having a tough season, but we’re a young side with six or seven players aged under 21, and while some of them are good of players, they are coming into the real world after playing under-18s and academy football.

“You don’t quite get that consistency, and you never know what you’re going to get. But they’re getting better with each game and learning what this level’s all about, and on Saturday they all worked for each other.

“If they can’t see after Saturday that a work ethic and playing for the team, rather than trying to do it all yourself, gets results, then I don’t see what more we can do. But it’s a confidence thing with young players, and hopefully this will give them plenty.”

In Southern One Central, goals from Ryan Debattista and Channing Campbell-Young gave Northwood a 2-0 win over Barton Rovers, while a Jon-Jo Bates strike earned Uxbridge a 1-1 draw against Aylesbury United.

In Spartan South Midlands One, Harefield United lost 1-0 at leaders Harpenden Town, but Hillingdon Borough smashed Brimsdown 7-0 thanks to a Tashan Jordan brace and further goals from Andrew Burton, Andrew Harewood, Prince Mbengui, Dylan Ryan and Tom Williams.