Saturday 27th August 2022 

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South 

Hayes and Yeading United 2 Beaconsfield Town 2

At Skyex Stadium Crowd 184

Ram of the Match - Callum Webb

If you had offered Beaconsfield Town a 2-2 draw before kick off most of those who had made the trip to the SKYex stadium to face, last seasons beaten play off finalists Hayes and Yeading United, would have taken it. In the final analysis though with the first half chances they created and after again facing Ten men, this time for the entire second half it was hard not to mark this up as a missed opportunity. 

The visitors could have been ahead on fifteen minutes when birthday boy Eitel Goueth released Nathan Minhas to bear down on goal but the strikers low shot was blocked by United keeper Jacob Adams   

Six minutes later the hosts were ahead with their first serious effort on goal, Olly Sprague found himself under a high ball which deceived the full bag his unconvincing header was collected by Moses Emmanuel his flicked back-heel missed out Sprague allowing Cole Brown to move onto the ball inside the box and fire pastRavan Constable low into the corner.

Beaconsfield had Luke Neville to thank five minutes as his well-timed toe end prevented Emmanuel from doubling the lead. The resulting corner came to nothing as Emmanuel volleyed wildly over.

Chances started to come for Beaconsfield as the half wore on. Louis Walsh saw a low effort deflected wide Kyel Reid popping up on the right wing picked out Nathan Minhas at the near post but his first time shot flew over the bar.

Nathan Minhas again benefiting from Ravan Constable's rapid distribution sent in a  low shot which though well struck was held by Adams plunging to his right. A decent save but one you would expect him to make. 

The young keeper was given no chance with Minhas’ next opportunity though as the striker burst between defenders onto another clearance. He got the better of United Skipper Charlie Wassmer and applied a cool finish lifting the ball over the advancing keeper with United players, officials, supporters, Burger seller and stadium cat howling for handball. As Wassmer and Minhas tussled the ball fell over the strikers shoulder and appeared, in the view of the officials and spectators on that side who were closest, to actually strike both players arms as Wassamer was pinning Minhas’ right arm to his hip. It was what my old dad would have called, “Six and a pair of Threes”.  

As the half wore on the game opened up at both ends, Constable saved smartly from Paul Hodges, and the big keeper’s distribution sent in Eitel Goueth who advanced on goal but placed his low shot too close to the keeper who made a comfortable save

Just before half time Beaconsfield unaccountably conceded directly from a freekick which was only just closer than the long stay car par at Heathrow. 

Liam McDevitt conceded the dead ball after being adjudged to have checked a forward runner off the ball in midfield. 

Left-back Dan Wishart stepped up. His body language suggested he had only one thing on his mind. He was having a shot. Even he must have been surprised though as he smacked his effort straight in the bottom corner. It was a good hit but make no mistake. This wasn’t Roberto Carlos. No frills, no swaz, no bend. Possibly a bit of dip. In it flew from the vicinity of 40 yards entirely unimpeded.

On the stroke of the break Rayan Clarke made an inauspicious end to his debut for United. 

Again the referees actions drew much moaning and while it may have been harsh it wasn’t exactly a shock. 

Midway through the half, he had received a lengthy lecture from referee Mr Bloxham after a ‘professional’ foul, grabbing Callum Webb around the waist, as the right back stepped in to dispossess him and set up the counter. Mr Bloxham called skipper Wassmer across to witness the warning and to spread the message that such fouls were not going to be accepted.  

There was no caution at that point much to the chagrin of Beaconsfield, ready to write off Bloxham as one of those 'talking to' refs who ends up letting everything go but tells folk off a lot. To his credit, the official didn't say anything he wasn't subsequently prepared to back up. Perhaps the winger misinterpreted this too because barely five minutes later he did exactly the same thing again pulling back Webb as the full back set off on the break. This time the yellow was automatic.

Then, already on that booking he foolishly jumped in to prevent Sam Togwell taking a quick free kick. You can question whether or not Togwell was really that keen to get on with things but Clarke was the architect of his own downfall. If you give a man with 300 plus appearances at step one an opportunity he’s likely to take it. 

The midfielders freekick was deflected away off Clarke standing a foot away. 

Mr Bloxham had no hesitation showing him a second yellow and the red card.

United switched to wing backs after the break and Gary Meakin sent on Sean Frazer for Olly Sprague.

The first half chance fell to Hayes.  An early Rams corner was cleared and fell to Brown. With Ravan Constable a distance off his line Brown sent in a driven lob which flew a couple of yards wide with Constable scrambling and failing to regain his ground and composure.

In the 53rd minute the Rams were level. 

Nathan Minhas was hauled down on the edge of the box. After much tooing and frooing. With Togwell causing much upset in the home defence and main stand by positioning himself legally adjacent to but not in the wall. The shot struck the wall and squirted to Aaron Minhas who buried his effort under Adams.

As the whole of middlesex looked to the linesman no flag was forthcoming. Mr Bloxham seemed to take the view that the ball came to Minhas off a defender in the wall. Thereby playing the Rams skipper onside. The referee deciding that any touch off the wall would constitute deliberately playing the ball as against an uncontrolled deflection. 

On 65 minutes the rule was applied again as Nathan Minhas seemed to have given The Rams the lead. This time as Kyel Reids 25 yard effort struck the outstretched leg of Sanmi Odelusia standing Five yards away, Nathan Minhas showed poise and no little skill to stretch full length and divert the ball across Adams and into the corner beat Adams. This time the linesman activated the buzzer in his flag to attract the refs' attention and Mr Bloxham decided that the deflection was not deliberate enough to play the striker on. This is probably fair. However, the offside line would then become where players were positioned when Reid made contact not when it was deflected. The video and photographs fairly clearly suggest Minhas was well onside when Kyel Reid sent his shot in. 

Harsh on The rams and harsh on the officials who may have been somewhat over litigious where cards were concerned but were even-handed and consistent throughout despite the bovine braying of a paying public who seem to vehemently believe that they should see every decision go their way and that everyone that doesn’t is a personal affront.

For those who choose to believe that the goal was disallowed because United players surrounded the official and made him consult the linesman and change his mind, the explanation above was confirmed by the officials immediately post-match.

There was still time for The Rams though but for all their possession and probing they were reduced to a series of fairly erratic long shots and two Mark Nisbet headers under pressure which skimmed over the bar. 

Disappointing in the end for The Rams but there’s no time to lick any wounds as they face up to the Bank Holiday visit of newly promoted Hanwell Town to Holloways Park on Monday afternoon at 3pm.

Mind you if you’d offered Four points from the away fixtures at Two of last seasons play Off teams in the first five games, most people connected to The Rams would probably have bitten your arm off.  

 

Beaconsfield Town:  Ravan Constable, Sean Frazer, Callum Webb, Olly Sprague [Sub Sean Frazer 46]  Luke Neville, Liam McDevitt, [Sub Mark Nisbet 52], Sam Togwell, Louis Walsh, Aaron Minhas©, Nathan Minhas, EItel Goueth, Kyel Reid [Sub Dan Bradshaw 74]

Subs Not Used: Shaun McCauley, Josh Roach

Hayes and Yeading United:  Jacob Adams, Ezra Ikebuasi [Sub Jerry Wiltshire 46], Dan Wishart, Sanmi Odelusi, Charlie Wassmer ©, Cameron Black, Rayan Clarke, Amos Nasha, Moses Emmanuel [Sub Florian Envoudou Ada 69], Paul Hodges [Sub Manny Adebiyi 81], Cole Brown, 

Subs Not Used: Mo Bettamer, Steve Ngunga

 

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Video Highlights [Hayes and Yeading Utd FC you tube]

Matchday Gallery  ©Neale Blackburn Photography 2022