United 3
(Hasani 6′, Palmer 9′, Hayfield 26′)
Chippenham 0
A dominant display saw United run out 3-0 winners against Chippenham Town on Tuesday night.
A Lirak Hasani header gave United the lead on six minutes, which was doubled on nine minutes as Ed Palmer scored a header from a corner. The lead was extended further in the 26th minute as Dan Hayfield powered his shot over the head of the Chippenham keeper, and with no further goals United got back to winning ways.
Paul Wotton made two changes from the 1-1 draw at Plainmoor against Aveley on Saturday, as Ben Seymour and Finn Tonks replaced Brad Ash and Finlay Craske, with Ash dropping to the bench joining Dean Moxey in the only other change to the squad.
A cagey opening five minutes soon burst into life, as first Will Dawes burst down the Chippenham right and cut inside, but his shot was gathered nicely by James Hamon. United then created their own chance which led to the opening goal on six minutes, as Ben Seymour broke down the Torquay right, and as he got to the byline his cross was met in the middle by the head of Lirak Hasani for his second goal of the season.
Three minutes later United doubled their lead as a Matt Carson corner was met with a downward header at the back post by Ed Palmer, with the ball looping over Will Henry in the Chippenham goal and into the net. Torquay then came close to a third on 23 minutes, as Threlkeld’s shot from the edge of the area came back to Seymour, who saw his shot come back off the inside of the post and the Bluebirds breathed a sigh of relief.
However that didn’t last long as the United superiority paid off with a third goal on 26 minutes, as Carson fired in a low cross from the left which went across the face of the goal, but Tonks was there at the back post to pass to Dan Hayfield, who lifted his shot over Henry and into the roof of the net. The Gulls were in dreamland.
A lovely move by United down the right from Tonks in the 36th minute, saw his pass to Cooke bring a shot that was on target, but safely gathered by the Chippenham keeper as the home side went looking for a fourth before the break. A last chance of the half came in the 43rd minute as a Tonks header found Cooke’s head, and his flick on to Seymour brought a shot on the turn which went just wide, and United headed down the tunnel at the break happy with their first half work.
Chippenham started the second half brightly, but it was United who created the first chance on 48 minutes, as a ball in from the right was met by the head of Cooke with Henry getting down well to save it. Torquay should have extended their lead on 64 minutes as substitute Jadyn Crosbie got a cross into the box, and with fellow sub Brad Ash lurking the keeper spilled it with it coming back to Hayfield, and with the goal at his mercy he blazed it over the bar and the Bluebirds escaped.
A midfield battle ensued and with an array of substitutes altering the pattern of play, it was still United creating half chances with Crosbie being well tackled as he was shaping to shoot at goal. Haines had Chippenham’s best chance on 84 minutes as his header from a corner was cleared off the line by Tonks, before on 86 minutes Ash had a chance to get the fourth but his shot was well saved by Henry with Mussa unable to get the ball as it came out to him.
Paul Wotton’s men saw out the rest of the game and with a clean sheet to boot, grabbed a deserved and controlled three points as they continued their good start to the season.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3 Jay Foulston (21. Dean Moxey 40′), 5. Sam Dreyer, 7. Lirak Hasani (8. Roddy Collins 75′), 9. Ben Seymour (11. Brad Ash 58′), 14. Matt Carson, 16. Ed Palmer, 17. Finn Tonks, 18. Oscar Threlkeld (c), 19. Cody Cooke (15. Jadyn Crosbie 62′), 20. Dan Hayfield (10. Omar Mussa 77′).
Yellow Card: Palmer 35′, Tonks 87′
CHIPPENHAM: 1. Will Henry, 2. Lewis Colwell, 3. Freddie Grant, 5. Aaron Amadi-Holloway (16. Caine Bradbury 69′), 6. Luke Haines, 7. Tyreke Johnson, 9. Matt McClure(c) (19. Harry Parsons 61′), 10. Tom Owen-Evans (15. Rex Mannings 69′), 12. Joe Andrews (4. Tom Mehew 58′), 14. Luke Spokes (20. Will King 58′), 17. Will Dawes.
Yellow Cards: King 69′, Bradbury 76′, Colwell 90+3′
Attendance: 3,087 (34 away)