High Fives Yet Again for Goal Hungry Reds

United scored 5 for the 3rd successive game with a 5-1 victory away at Maltby Main Reserves

In difficult blustery wind conditions the Reds repeated their 5-1 victory over Maltby Main Reserves from 7 days ago with another victory by the same score line. This was a performance built on hard work rather than good play as the strong winds made it difficult for all the players.

United had the first chance when a shot by Ainslie Finney was spilled by Maltby keeper Davies but he gathered at the second attempt as Steve Ellor closed in, Finney also went close with a header from a Luke Skelton cross but the chance went wide. At the other end a header from Brown was saved by Reds keeper Priestley. With any flair absent because of the wind United were at least having the territorial advantage though a slip from skipper Ryan Scott allowed Brown to close in on goal with the onrushing Priestley causing him to rush his prodded effort and the ball went wide. A few moments later United survived an appeal for a Maltby penalty, Thomas raced through on to a Tate pass and Priestley coming out to challenge seemed to catch him, thankfully the referee didn't agree. United continued to boss the territory and Jack Whittaker, Steve Ellor and Mark Gedney all had attempts which never troubled the home goal. After 41 minutes United had the clearest chance of the game, after some good work down the right Grant Hill pulled the ball back from the goal line, the ball reached Steve Ellor and from 8 yards out with the goal at his mercy Ellor somehow blasted the ball over the bar.

The home sides sporadic forays to the United goal seemed to be stemming from the hard working Brown, shortly after the Ellor chance, Brown charged down a Ross Petty clearance and from 25 yards out tried his luck with a shot that swerved wide. Finney got in a cross which keeper Davies flapped at as Hill challenged him and with the half entering stoppage time the home side survived a goal mouth scramble with Hill, Finney and Whittaker all looking to get a decisive tough as the ball bounced about the Maltby goal area, they eventually managed to clear for a corner but United took the lead from this corner. Ellor crossed the ball and Hill managed to get his head to the ball and force it home to give United the lead. Half Time Maltby Main Res 0-1 United

With the wind in their favour United began to dictate possession and territory more in the second half than they had in the first though good play was always difficult and they increased their lead early in the second period. With his back to goal and looking to play a high bouncing ball, Finney down the right of the penalty area kicked the ball over his head towards the goal and in an attempt to clear the danger home player Hirst sliced his kick and saw the ball loop up and over his own keeper to double United's lead. Moments later a 30 yard effort from Hill sailed just over the bar as United began to look dominant and Finney also shot wide when he perhaps should have passed to a better placed Ellor. If United survived a strong penalty claim in the first half then they harshly conceded a penalty on 63 minutes, Maltby's best player Brown in possession of the ball got to the goal line and swivelled to put in a cross though Ryan Scott was only a yard away to challenge him however the ball struck Scott's arm and though the distance was too short for him to get out of the way the referee penalised him and gave a penalty with Thomas stepping up to dispatch the spot kick past Reds keeper Ben Priestley to reduce the arrears.

This setback didn't faze the Reds as Gedney, Ellor and Harrison all had efforts on goal though the wind was making shooting difficult and it wasn't too long before Finney restored United's 2 goal lead, Ellor got possession in the middle of the field, passed out wide on the right to Finney who came infield before unleashing a dipping shot which sailed over the keeper and under the bar to give United a third. Two further goals in the last 5 minutes gave some gloss to a United performance that was based on hard work rather than flair, the windy conditions not suitable for good play, firstly a goal kick from Priestley went long, the ball was flicked on by sub Connor Cairns and the ball found it's way to Ellor who fired it home to give United a fourth and 2 minutes later it was 5-1 when a cross from Ellor reached the incoming Mark Gedney and he directed his header wide of the keeper and into goal. final Score Maltby Main Res 1-5 United