LEGENDS WATCH UNITED BEAT HOOPS IN FRIENDLY
HAYES ‘LEGENDS’ WATCH RS FRIENDLY
HAYES & Yeading’s first pre-season outing of 2018/19 saw Paul Hughes’ side defeat a QPR U23 outfit 1-0 courtesy of a first-half strike from last season’s top marksman Manny Duku.
Saturday’s game became a bit of a who’s who for club aficionados.
Former Yeading star Andrew Impey returned to his old stomping ground in his role as part of the QPR coaching staff.
Also in the crowd enjoying the sunshine were former Hayes manager Willie Wordsworth and ex-Hayes player Jason Roberts, now a pundit for the BBC.
“It was a nice run out and I was very pleased with the way we worked, especially with it being so early in our preseason preparations,” said Hughes.
“Having two former playing legends of the pre-merged clubs there in Andrew Impey and Jason Roberts was a bit special too. I know the fans enjoyed that, but for us it also helps reaffirm what we are trying to build into our current crop of players, that sense of club, loyalty, hard-work and what that can achieve as a player and beyond.”
United looked good from the off with the majority of last season’s play-off squad returning but it was the visitors who worked the first opening in just the second minute as United’s trialist keeper backtracked as Deshane Dalling bore down on goal, the stopper standing firm to block away the winger’s effort.
Minutes later, United’s first opening came courtesy of a deep Toby Little corner, which was met by Ryan Kinnane at the far post, the big centreback’s header just clearing the Rs’ crossbar.
Shortly after, Little was again involved in a forward push as he combined with Lewis Toomey to set up a chance for Duku, who touched the ball past his marker only to be denied by QPR keeper Seny Dieng.
Dalling almost turned provider for the visitors on 16 minutes as his low near-post centre was turned over by Amrit Bansal-McNulty from inside the six-yard box.
Minutes later, United skipper Scott Donnelly was forced to leave the game with what appeared to be a muscle pull, his replacement Scott Bridges taking less than 60 seconds to make an impact as he fired in a free kick from the right flank that Duku met with a perfect diving header to guide the ball just inside Dieng’s near post, giving United the lead.
Bridges then smacked the crossbar from 30 yards.
There were wholesale United changes at the break, one of them, keeper Luke Daley, saving well from Bansal-McNulty.
Other opportunities fell for both teams and Daley made another fine late save to ensure Hayes ended up on the winning side.
Hayes’ next pre-season game is away to Brockenhurst on Saturday.