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Development Squad win against Hyde

FC United Development Squad entertained Hyde at a windy Nicholls campus and won 2-1 with goals either side of half time from Tunde Owolabi. A late penalty converted by Damase Kiwanda on 80 minutes gave the visitors hope, but they were unable to find an equaliser.

The weather conditions meant that early exchanges were untidy with neither side able to turn possession into scoring chances. Indeed it was half an hour before either goalkeeper was tested, Chris Taylor turning aside a shot. The first chance for FC United came five minutes later, In a break from a Hyde attack, Justin Johnson played the ball forward to Owolabi. He took it passed Bruno in the Hyde goal but ran wide and rather than prod the ball left footed whilst off balance, he tried to get the ball back on to his right foot and allowed the defence time to regroup and clear out for a corner.

It didn’t take long however, for him to put that behind him as he scored with the next attack. There seemed little danger as the ball rolled through to the Hyde keeper, but his Arthur Boruc like confidence in his ability was equally misplaced as Owolabi challenged him and the ball flew in to the net. Five minutes into the second half FC won a corner, taken by Scott Cheetham it was headed by Owolabi from around the penalty area into the top corner of the goal.

The remainder of the game was much the same as the early exchanges with few clear cut chances, Robbie Robertson had a couple of efforts from distance without seriously testing the keeper. That was until the 80th minute. Kiwanda collected the ball out on the right wing and cut in to the box; as he shot a challenge by Joe Power was judged worthy of a penalty kick. Kiwanda’s kick was just out of reach of Taylor.

Owolabi had a chance to complete his hat-trick on 83 minutes, Cheetham hooked the ball forward from half way and it looked easy enough for Hyde’s Adam Lawrence to head back to his keeper. However a tame effort allowed the FC man to nip in and lift the ball over the keeper, but sadly not into the goal. Despite efforts by Hyde to equalise, which were in truth easily dealt with by the home defence, the game drifted to a close and the Reds go off to a Christmas break with a friendly at Atherton Laburnum Rovers on Tuesday kick off is 7:45pm.


First Posted ~ 17:51 Sat 14 Dec 2013
News ID ~ 5258
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021