Hay’s Sunday team were in good goalscoring form this morning, on a cold and frosty council pitch, hitting seven against Rosey Athletic. Goals were scored by Nathan Heighway, Craig Forsyth (2), Joe Emmitt, Kevin Goodwin (2) and Andrew Gilbert. The visitors had taken an early lead and also scored a late penalty as the game finished 7-2.
Rosey went ahead around ten minutes into the match; a corner from the left was hit to the neat post and it was flicked past Tom Bevan from close-range. Hay started to gain a foothold on the game and were looking to get in behind the visitor’s defence at every opportunity. Good work down the left-hand side led to the equaliser as Ben Bevan found space and a pinpoint pass was finished by Heighway on the stretch. Soon after Hay were starting to create chances at will and top scorer Forsyth capitalised on some poor defending to go one on one with the ‘keeper before beating him at his near post with a clever finish. More goals were to follow; a flowing move starting in the Hay area saw Dan Scaife find Goodwin, who split the defence with a through ball and Emmitt raced on to it, spotting the Rosey ‘keeper out of position and firing a long-range strike past him to make it 3-1. Goodwin finished proceedings for the first-half with a fourth, beating his man in the box on the right before spotting the ‘keeper again out of position to beat him at his near post, with the help of a deflection.
The game opened up a little in the second-half, suiting Hay as they were able to play on the break and use the pace of their attacking individuals to their advantage. Mid-way through the half Forsyth grabbed his second, following up after a Goodwin cross was fumbled by the ‘keeper. Goodwin the added his second as a corner from Darren Horrigan went past all the players to the back-post and Goodwin slammed home into the roof of the net from 10 yards. More chances followed but Forsyth and Horrigan failed to capitalise on some decent opportunities, whilst Ben Bevan fired a free-kick over the bar from 20 yards. At the other end, a soft award of a penalty against Richard Meredith was struck into the corner to make it 6-2 but Andrew Gilbert had the last say with a well-struck left-foot shot from 20 yards which snuck past the goalie. It could have been eight in the final moments as Ben Bevan’s cross from the left was all set for David Arrowsmith to volley home but out of nowhere came Gareth Ratcliffe to hopelessly prod the ball past the post.
A good performance on a bitterly cold morning for the Sunday team. The defensive partnership of Meredith and Kieran Cheverton were excellent, whilst going forward the Saints always looked as though they could add to their seven goals. Man of the match goes to Emmitt who worked tirelessly in the middle of the park.
Saints: T. Bevan, Scaife, Meredith, Cheverton, Ratcliffe, Gilbert, Emmitt, Ward-Willis, B. Bevan, Heighway, Forsyth.
Subs: Arrowsmith, Pugh, Goodwin, Horrigan.
Final Score: Hay 7-2 Rosey