The Saints Reserves moved up into third place in The Mid Wales South after a 2-7 away victory againts Newbridge Reserves.
The returning Rob Snedden who I’m told was unplayable on times scored a hat-trick, not to be out done his strike partner John Sly also netted a hat-trick, youngter Kevin Goodwin also netted his now customary goal.
The Saints, with a make-shift side, didn’t get off to the best of starts when a long-ball from the home defence allowed the Newbridge striker a free-run in on goal and he struck past the helpless Ian Jones. The Saints were soon level however, when good work down the right-wing from Dave Evans saw him cross from the by-line and Sly stabbed home from a couple of yards out. The goal improved the confidence of the team, who had started sloppily, and they were soon in front. Rob Snedden’s persistance on the ball saw him beat a couple of men and get into the box before firing into the corner. Snedden soon added his second, and Hay’s third, when he fired in a penalty following a foul on Sly from the ‘keeper. Toby Johnson nearly scored a spectacular fourth, after bursting forward from an unfamiliar role at left-back and his screamer was tipped onto the bar. Jake Atkinson also went close for Hay with a first-time strike narrowly missing the far corner, before Sly made it 4-1 at the break when he followed up to knock in from close-range, following a good stop from the home ‘keeper to deny Snedden.
The second-half saw the Saints continue to have the better of the play against their struggling opponents but too often, the final ball was letting Hay down. The defensive pairing of Mike Ward and Alex Howard were kept on their toes by a pacey striker but dealt well with the threat. At the other end though, after some half-chances had gone astray, Hay were finally rewarded when Goodwin cut in from the left-wing, beating his man with ease before chipping over the ‘keeper from 20 yards out. Snedden then completed his hattrick when his rather tame shot wasn’t held by the ‘keeper and it crept over the line. Newbridge managed to pull a goal back to make it 6-2 late on when their striker beat I. Jones at his near-post, sneaking the ball in from the tightest of angles. In the final moments, Sly was felled in the box after yet more strong running from the stand-in captain, and he took on the responsibility of the penalty with the sniff of a hattrick, and he powered it in. There was a late cameo appearence for the Saints for Stuart Snedden, who made his first-ever senior appearence. The first of many I’m sure.
After a tricky start, the Saints managed a comfortable win in the end. The return of Snedden gave the Hay attack a real spark, whilst the pace of Sly was evident once again, as is always the case. Praise should be given to the stand-in back four of Alex Simmonds, Ward, Howard and Johnson, who all had good games, in unfamilar roles. Next up for Hay is a very though test against Builth at Forest Road on Tuesday evening; Builth eased past the Saints 3-0 early in the season and Andrew Harris’s men will be looking for revenge, in what should be a good footballing encounter.
Hay: I. Jones, Simmonds (D. Jones), Howard, Ward, Johnson, Evans (S. Snedden), Holland, Atkinson, Goodwin, Sly, R. Snedden.