Super first-half earns Blues 3-1 win at Hayes

An impressive first-half performance saw Wycombe Wanderers take a three goal lead into the interval before making wholesale changes in a disjointed second-half during which Hayes & Yeading pulled one back to make the final score 3-1.

The Chairboys lined up as follows. (* denotes trialist)

First Half

Bull

McCoy* Phillips* Westwood Sansara*

Ainsworth Collins* Murtagh Betsy

Strevens Rendell


Second Half

Bull (Arnold 60)

Foster Phillips* (Winfield 58) Westwood (Johnson 58) Sansara* (Westlake 62)

Fitchett (Green 82) Collins* (Belcher 58) Murtagh (Montrose 58) Federico

Pittman Rendell (McClure 64)


All three of Wycombe's first-half goals were a joy to watch. Kevin Betsy found the net twice and new signing Scott Rendell scored his first goal for the club, but it was the performance of trialist Marvin McCoy that had everyone talking at half-time.

Betsy scored his first goal after only 8 minutes when a neat interchange of passes with Rendell put him in the clear and left him with the task of coolly slotting the ball past the United keeper.

The second goal after 12 minutes was created by full-back McCoy, who went on a surging run down the right-wing before weaving his way past a couple of defenders and laying the ball back perfectly for Rendell to pick his spot with aplomb.

McCoy also played a big part in a well-worked third goal after 37 minutes. Starting another attack down the right flank, the impressive trialist played the ball infield to Gareth Ainsworth whose clever turn started a neat passing move which culminated in Rendell setting up Betsy to round the keeper and slot the ball home from a tight angle.

Nineteen different Wycombe players took part in a disjointed second-half which saw a United trialist pounce on a poor back-pass from Sam Belcher to pull one back for the home side after 72 minutes.

Blues' keeper Steve Arnold then made two good saves during a flurry of Hayes pressure, while Wycombe's best chance of the second-half fell to late substitute Stuart Green who could only hook the ball over the crossbar with the United keeper stranded.

Opinion

Marvin McCoy didn't appear for the second-half and it would be no surprise if Blues boss Gary Waddock had already seen enough to convince him to sign the Wealdstone youngster.

As far as the other trialists are concerned, I wouldn't like to hazard a guess. Sansara and Phillips weren't really tested enough defensively and while the left-back overlapped well, his crosses tended to be overhit today and he didn't impress as much as he did against Chesham on Tuesday evening.

Matt Collins was tidy in central-midfield but didn't look any better than what we already have in Montrose, Murtagh and Bloomfield.

The good news is that Rendell, Strevens, Betsy, Ainsworth and Murtagh looked like they'd been playing together for years and made watching the first-half a very enjoyable and encouraging experience for the travelling Wycombe fans. - and with England U19 international Matt Phillips, Jon-Paul Pittman and Stuart Beavon to add the mix, there should be no shortage of thrills at Adams Park during the coming season.


The Chairboys next game is at Brentford on Tuesday evening - kick-off 8.00pm

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