Ray of Hyde Opener

Hyde United FC 1 - 3 MCFC Reserves
Ball(2), Marshall
As usual City ventured to Hyde United's Ewen Fields for their annual pre-season friendly fixture in aid of the dearly departed Ray Stanley; Hyde's former club secretary, with the winner receiving the Ray Stanley Memorial Shield. City comfortably won the first half three nil with a goal from Paul Marshall and a brace from David Ball. Hyde's change at half time to bring on Lincoln Adams for former City youngster Nathan D'Laryea changed things for the better for them and Lincoln scored a fine header to win the second half one nil.

City fielded a mixture of players that have been reserves for a few years and ones that have just graduated from Platt Lane and crossed over to Carrington. The team looked well balanced and it showed as the first half City created chance after chance and the three nil half time score flattered Hyde; but as we know chances do not win matches, goals do, and Robbie Mak was guilty of slashing too many shots that missed the target too often.

City's first goal came from a good run by Karl Moore down the left and he looked up well and saw David Ball in space and he cut the ball back to him; but he slightly miss hit the shot but it still evaded the defender and goalkeeper and rolled over the line into the far corner of the goal.

A few minutes later Hyde had their only real chance of the first half when a penetrating run down the right was crossed well into the box but Dan Barry could not direct the header on target.

Good work by James Poole led to City's second goal when he dispossessed the defender and again in similar circumstances to Moore; he looked up and saw the cut back was the best option as Marshall ran in and sent in a lovely disguised shot that fooled the goalkeeper and looped over him into the back of the net.

Two minutes later and City had got their third when Poole turned provider again when he sent a defence splitting pass through to Ball who beat the offside trap and he bore down on goal and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.

As I previously mentioned City continued to press the pedal down but were guilty of not doing more with the chances they created and so went into the break not being able to add to their advantage.

Kasper Schmiechel was certainly a lot busier in the second half and he was forced into a good save early on from a direct free kick. Hyde Finally got their break through in the sixty third minute when a corner from the right was drilled into the box and Adams timed his jump well as he climbed above the City defence and headed firmly into the far corner of the goal to give Kasper no chance to save it.

There was a lot of plus points for City as with some key players graduating to the reserve side this should make City's reserve side very difficult to beat throughout the season as the extra strength of first team means probably a consistent line up and should help create a strong team ethos.

I would just like to end with I wish Hyde United all the best in their troubled financial position and hope they can move forward from it in a positive manner. Certainly with a centre half like Lincoln Adams they have a strong presence on the football field at least.


Hyde United: Aspden(GK), Aspin, Oakes, Lynch, Bayliss, D'Laryea, George, Manship, Barry, Smith, James.

Subs: Adams, Jones, Spencer, Traynor, Kirkbride, Mooney, Rick.


City: Schmiechel(GK)(Capt), Logan, Cunningham, Kay, McDonald, Boyata, Mak, Marshall, Ball, Poole, Moore.

Subs: Nimley-TchuimeniT Johansen, Clayton, McDermott, Ibrahim.

Attendance : 401