CLINICAL TIGERS IN CRUISE CONTROL
HYDE were ruthless as they ran out deserved 4-1 winners at Marine, overtaking them in the league to enter the division’s playoff spots.
The Tigers found themselves with a late squad addition hours before kick-off, as Sam Waller was recalled by Premier League side Burnley, seeing Blackburn Rovers’ stopper Jordan Eastham thrust into his first start on-loan.
Former Rovers midfielder Jalil Saadi came down with illness in the warm-up and forced Marine into an early change, Harvey Gregson replacing him.
The hosts’ afternoon worsened just 14 minutes in, with the first of Hyde’s four-goal haul as Josh Doherty let fly from the edge of the box with a strike arrowing towards the top corner.
20 minutes later, Hyde had a three-goal cushion after Harry Ditchfield combined with star man Jack Redshaw, whose firsttime hit at Luke Hutchinson’s near post saw them double their advantage.
Redshaw wasn’t finished there, finding himself with space to spare before completing his brace only 90 seconds later with a superb solo strike.
Marine were much improved in the second-half as they were forced to take chances, but in doing so, were exposed defensively.
Their manager, Neil Young, made a bold move to slot centre-back Chris Doyle as a target man in attack and it helped before the introduction of former
Hyde striker Manasse Mampala ramped up the Crosby crowd.
Mampala was on the pitch for mere seconds when he poached the hosts a close-range goal after a corner was scrambled in-front of the Hyde goalline.
The Everton academy graduate could’ve had a second and prompted hopes of an unlikely Marine fightback, but his volley was straight at Eastham who tipped the strike over the bar.
Another Marine attack led to the fourth Tigers goal when
Hyde cleared their lines before advancing on a supeb counter, with substitute Matthew Fearnley slotting beyond Hutchinson.
Young rued his side’s firsthalf showing, setting the wheels in motion for a heavy home loss.
He told the NLP: “The firsthalf was as bad as it gets... Hyde took their goals well but it was far too easy for them, we weren’t at the races at all.”
STAR MAN: Jack Redshaw (Hyde United) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★