Ten men FC United slump to defeat at Hyde United
Ten men FC United started the busy Bank Holiday weekend with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Hyde United, despite a stirring and spirited second half performance, which saw Cedric Main have a late penalty saved.
Manager Neil Reynolds made a couple of changes, Jordan Simpson, Charlie Ennis and Regan Linney all returning to the starting XI and goalkeeper Lewis King had rejoined the club as an emergency signing to replace the ill Dan Lavercombe.
For the first ten minutes all looked bright as FC attacked at will. Main surged into the box and found Ennis who saw his goalbound shot deflected over. Three minutes later, Main was again involved as he ran clear following a ball over that beat ex FC defender Jordan Fagbola. He fired in a powerful shot that hit the post and flew wide.
From this point, the home side got into the game and took the lead on 12 minutes when a corner found its way to Liam Hardy who fired home. Six minutes later, the day got worse as a cross from the left found goalkeeper King in no man's land and Harry Benns looped a header into the net to double the lead.
Just after the half hour, the match took an even worse turn as the Reds were reduced to 10 men. Ennis clashed off the ball with Kingsley James. After a chat with his assistant, Mr McQuillan decided to show the FC United midfielder a red card whilst James didn’t even get a talking to. It looked like one of those situations where often the referee would issue two reds, two yellows or have a chat to calm players down and get on with the game, but not today.
Reno made a triple change at half time, with Matty Rain, Ali Waddecar and Finlay Sinclair-Smith replacing Simpson, Linney and Jamie Cooke, changes that had the desired effect. Waddecar cut in from the right and tested Joe Green with a shot and Sinclair-Smith volleying goalwards only to see Green pull off a great save, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.
On the hour, the score was halved when Sinclair-Smith curled a free-kick against the bar, centre-back Aaron Morris was first on the scene to guide home the rebound. A minute later, Adam Dodd worked a good move down the left and crossed for Main who saw his shot blocked by the keeper and a defender. At the other end, Hyde were looking to break, King having to save after he fumbled a shot and then saving well from Jonah Mitchell.
Main, after a quiet first half, was certainly a handful in the second and he worked one opening into the box only to stumble, the ball running to Sinclair-Smith who saw his shot blocked. With seven minutes left on the clock, FC were handed a lifeline when the referee awarded a penalty for a block on Waddecar. Main stepped up, but put the penalty at a nice height for Green who continued his great performance by pushing the spot-kick away.
With FC on the attack, gaps appeared at the back and King was relieved to see one attack fizzle out after he came out of his area and failed to clear then saving well from Hardy.
A lacklustre first half saw this game lost as FC United gave themselves too much to do in the second half and everyone will be looking for an immediate reaction at home to Radcliffe on Bank Holiday Monday.
Website man of the match: Michael Potts. Another captain's performance. Maybe not the all action type of display we've seen during the last couple of weeks, but Potts led the 10 men by example and was always looking to drive forward.
Report by Steven Wood
Ten men FC United slump to defeat at Hyde United
Ten men FC United started the busy Bank Holiday weekend with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Hyde United, despite a stirring and spirited second half performance, which saw Cedric Main have a late penalty saved.
Manager Neil Reynolds made a couple of changes, Jordan Simpson, Charlie Ennis and Regan Linney all returning to the starting XI and goalkeeper Lewis King had rejoined the club as an emergency signing to replace the ill Dan Lavercombe.
For the first ten minutes all looked bright as FC attacked at will. Main surged into the box and found Ennis who saw his goalbound shot deflected over. Three minutes later, Main was again involved as he ran clear following a ball over that beat ex FC defender Jordan Fagbola. He fired in a powerful shot that hit the post and flew wide.
From this point, the home side got into the game and took the lead on 12 minutes when a corner found its way to Liam Hardy who fired home. Six minutes later, the day got worse as a cross from the left found goalkeeper King in no man's land and Harry Benns looped a header into the net to double the lead.
Just after the half hour, the match took an even worse turn as the Reds were reduced to 10 men. Ennis clashed off the ball with Kingsley James. After a chat with his assistant, Mr McQuillan decided to show the FC United midfielder a red card whilst James didn’t even get a talking to. It looked like one of those situations where often the referee would issue two reds, two yellows or have a chat to calm players down and get on with the game, but not today.
Reno made a triple change at half time, with Matty Rain, Ali Waddecar and Finlay Sinclair-Smith replacing Simpson, Linney and Jamie Cooke, changes that had the desired effect. Waddecar cut in from the right and tested Joe Green with a shot and Sinclair-Smith volleying goalwards only to see Green pull off a great save, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.
On the hour, the score was halved when Sinclair-Smith curled a free-kick against the bar, centre-back Aaron Morris was first on the scene to guide home the rebound. A minute later, Adam Dodd worked a good move down the left and crossed for Main who saw his shot blocked by the keeper and a defender. At the other end, Hyde were looking to break, King having to save after he fumbled a shot and then saving well from Jonah Mitchell.
Main, after a quiet first half, was certainly a handful in the second and he worked one opening into the box only to stumble, the ball running to Sinclair-Smith who saw his shot blocked. With seven minutes left on the clock, FC were handed a lifeline when the referee awarded a penalty for a block on Waddecar. Main stepped up, but put the penalty at a nice height for Green who continued his great performance by pushing the spot-kick away.
With FC on the attack, gaps appeared at the back and King was relieved to see one attack fizzle out after he came out of his area and failed to clear then saving well from Hardy.
A lacklustre first half saw this game lost as FC United gave themselves too much to do in the second half and everyone will be looking for an immediate reaction at home to Radcliffe on Bank Holiday Monday.
Website man of the match: Michael Potts. Another captain's performance. Maybe not the all action type of display we've seen during the last couple of weeks, but Potts led the 10 men by example and was always looking to drive forward.
Report by Steven Wood
