I beginning to like the first 10-15 minutes of our games. Settles the nerves early on and gives the players the freedom to play with some confidence. Another effective away display and never really looked like losing this tie.
In stark contrast to last season another fame where we started on the front foot. Epsom never got the chance to settle into the game. Berchiche with a snap shot wide after 2 mins, set the tone for opening quarter of the game.
Loose pass across the pitch from Adam Martin in midfield, gifted a chance for the away side to take the lead, Epsom winger broke clear fired his shot high and wide of the target from the left side of the area.
Then the opener for Adrian Clifton his weak shot come cross trickled through the hands and legs of the young Epsom keeper.
5 minutes later a well taken goal from that man Clifton again, Cole Brown on the Hayes right, pass into the feet of Berchiche his dinked cross to the far post, Clifton peeling of the back of his marker, thunders a right footed volley into the far corner with the keeper rooted to the spot. Rest of the half became a stop start affair with consistent fouls. Hippolyte of the left wing raced clear with a man to beat who did well in holding him up and blocking his eventual effort just inside the area. Acrobatic overhead kick from Cole Brown wide after a weak headed clearance. Epsom rallying towards the end of the half two decent chances, first from a right wing cross to the back post, Cole Brown little touch with his head enough to put the winger off who fired wide. Then a cross from the opposite wind Cole muscled of the ball, low cross centre of the goal a mixture of will salmon and juliusz Pazio grabbing the ball on the line. Ht 0-2
Mixed start to this half, Perrie Landolo shot from the edge never troubling the home keeper, long throw from Shawn Joseph into the penalty box, flicked on by Hercules drifted to the back post Hippolyte unmarked screws his volley wide of the far post. Epsom chance miss communication between Cole Brown and Pazio Lee to a snap shot from the home side but cleared of the line by Brown. Third goal for Hayes was a corner from the right into the near post, ball fell to Adam Martin his right footed shot drifting across the goal, luckily Berchiche on hand to steer a left foot effort inside the far post. Game become end to end then hayes piling forward for a fourth, Rocky Williams cameo in midfield, nice control and pass into the run of full back Freddie Stanley his cut back into Adrian Clifton, crowded out by the Epsom central defender. Rocky Williams involved again driving from midfield, pass into Stanley again his snap shot beaten away by the keeper. Once again though a poor goal to concede midfield seemed to vanish, few quick passes found the no9 in on goal, he made no mistake slipping his shot under the advancing Pazio in the away goal. Ft 1-3
Mom Wranyel Hercules. Work rate is different class, becoming a nice partnership with Cole Brown on the right hand side.
A counter attack from our corner found us light on numbers but he made a last ditched tackle on the edge of our box.
Quick and strong when going forward.
Solid enough start, room for improvement in all departments but expected from a new squad.
Coyh
Epsom & Ewell (A)
Re: Epsom & Ewell (A)
Was over for this game and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon in the sun - a second straight 1-3 win to start the season too. 
Spent a lot of the opening 15mins or so trying to work out who was who. A lot of changes since I was last over in Dec / Jan. Was impressed with Adrian Clifton and his willingness to put himself about. Took his goals well (second one especially). Great to see Cole Brown still with us and, as Red army pointed out, he looks to have struck up a good partnership down the right with Wraynel Hercules who put a real shift in too.
One player I really like the look of is Perri Iandolo. Didn't always seem to get a lot of love from the support as such, but I think he looks a very good ball player. Give him the ball and he'll pick out a pass - very much like Scott Donnelly used to do. A little slow in moving the ball on at times and nearly caught in possession, but nothing major and that'll surely change as fitness gets better with more games. Jonathan Hippolyte also very busy on the left and looks a tricky customer.
Can't really comment too much on the central defensive pairing, nor the keeper, as they really didn't have a huge amount to do... Save for a few moments which were heart in the mouth.
One improvement I would ask for... set pieces! Too many short corners which came to nothing and are easier to defend against. The one time we put a corner into the mixer and we scored the third goal. Case closed.
Margate away in the next round. Another club that's had a tough recent past and relegated this summer. A good test for us. The real tests will be the likes of Kingstonian, Farnham, Rayners Lane et al, but so far so good and nice for us to talk about a Hayes side winning back-to-back games convincingly. Progress indeed!
Spent a lot of the opening 15mins or so trying to work out who was who. A lot of changes since I was last over in Dec / Jan. Was impressed with Adrian Clifton and his willingness to put himself about. Took his goals well (second one especially). Great to see Cole Brown still with us and, as Red army pointed out, he looks to have struck up a good partnership down the right with Wraynel Hercules who put a real shift in too.
One player I really like the look of is Perri Iandolo. Didn't always seem to get a lot of love from the support as such, but I think he looks a very good ball player. Give him the ball and he'll pick out a pass - very much like Scott Donnelly used to do. A little slow in moving the ball on at times and nearly caught in possession, but nothing major and that'll surely change as fitness gets better with more games. Jonathan Hippolyte also very busy on the left and looks a tricky customer.
Can't really comment too much on the central defensive pairing, nor the keeper, as they really didn't have a huge amount to do... Save for a few moments which were heart in the mouth.
One improvement I would ask for... set pieces! Too many short corners which came to nothing and are easier to defend against. The one time we put a corner into the mixer and we scored the third goal. Case closed.
Margate away in the next round. Another club that's had a tough recent past and relegated this summer. A good test for us. The real tests will be the likes of Kingstonian, Farnham, Rayners Lane et al, but so far so good and nice for us to talk about a Hayes side winning back-to-back games convincingly. Progress indeed!