The Sunday Saints swept aside Athletico Ledbury on a sunny Easter morning at Forest Road.
Craig Forsyth, Kevin Goodwin and Richard Meredith put the Saints 3-0 up at half-time, and these were added to by Rhys Edwards, Nathan Heighway, Forsyth again and Darren Horrigan, with the visitors pulling a goal-back with an outrageous long-range effort.
Good work down the right-hand side from Gareth Ratcliffe saw him loft a cross in, which broke to Forsyth; the striker took one touch before expertly firing into the top corner. Soon after, Hay were two up. Goodwin went through the middle of two defenders, before twisting past another and firing a left-foot shot from 20 yards into the near corner.
Goodwin then turned provider when he went past his marker on the left and picked out a pass for the oncoming Meredith, who guided a right-foot drive into the corner having ventured forward from the defence.
Sub Edwards added a fourth early in the second-half, finishing well from the penalty spot after Forsyth had been chopped down. Tom Bevan in the Saints’ goal was caught off-guard, unsurprisingly given the ease that Hay had been playing at, as Ledbury pulled one back. A free-kick close to the half-way line saw a Ronaldo like run-up from the central defender and he smashed a shot into the top corner which Bevan couldn’t quite claw away.
Despite the goal, Hay carried on pressing and further chances were created. Both Heighway and Edwards missed close-range opportunities, when in truth it looked easier to score. Heighway soon made up for it however, when a chipped pass from Ratcliffe was directed into the corner by the striker. Horrigan made it 6-1, having returned after his minor operation; he broke down the left and a right-foot shot squirmed under the ‘keeper. Forsyth then wrapped up the game with his second of the day, reacting quickest when the goalie had spilled a shot.
An excellent performance from the Saints on the top pitch, which certainly helped, allowing Hay to get the ball down and use the width and their pace to good advantage. There were a number of contenders for man of the match but I thought that Meredith was outstanding on the day, marshalling the striker well, and scoring an excellent goal.
Hay: T. Bevan, Scaife, Jones, Meredith, M. Pugh, Ratcliffe, B. Bevan, Emmit, Goodwin, Heighway, Forsyth. Subs: Edwards, Branson, Horrigan.