Post by Hatboy on Aug 7, 2014 17:57:57 GMT
Ninety-six days since that dramatic play-off final victory over Chesham United, the Saints welcomeHayes & Yeading badge Hayes & Yeading United to Clarence Park for the first game of the Vanarama Conference South season.
It was a great afternoon for the club, which saw 1,500 travelling City fans cheer on Jimmy Gray’s and Graham Golds’ boys to promotion from the Southern Premier League, and make a welcome return to step two of the non-league pyramid.
This summer has been a busy one for the Saints, with a number of departures from the playing squad, alongside several new arrivals. Players’ player of the year award winner Ram Marwa departed after relocating to Dubai, while veteran goalkeeper Paul Bastock was released after making over 300 appearances for the club. Joe Welch was brought in as a replacement for Bastock, while former club Captain Lee Clarke has returned following his release from Conference side Welling United. Gray and Golds have also been busy by bringing in three recognised forwards to take some of the weight off of John Frendo, who chipped in with 42 goals in all competitions last season.
Training for the new season started in late June, and the pre-season matches began with a 2-0 defeat away to Solihull, before much improved 6-2, and 8-3 wins over Dagenham & Redbridge, and Wingate & Finchely were very welcome. A victory over Harrow Borough was followed up with back-to-back defeats against a Watford First Team and Conference new boys Eastleigh. A 1-1 draw against Stevenage on Monday evening rounded things up.
It’s been a productive pre-season, which saw a number of positive results and a variety of different tactics tested by the management.
Last weekend saw the Saints play their first competitive match of the season, and they came away with a comfortable 4-1 victory at Ware in the Herts Charity Cup. Loick Pires (X2) and Elliot Buchanan scored their first goals for the club, while Steve Wales made it 6 goals in 10 games for the former Chesham man.
Hayes, on the other hand, finished last season in the relegation places with a total of 45 points from the 42 matches that Phil Babb’s side played, but they escaped demotion when they were given a reprieve following the expulsion of Hereford United from the Football Conference.
It’s been an up and down summer at Hayes’ new home of York Road (Also the home of Maidenhead United). Despite the reprieve, Babb has had to oversee a large number of departures and arrivals to his squad, as the club did not know what division it would be in until mid-way through the summer. Rhys Murrell-Williamson, De’Reece Vanderhyde, Gary MacDonald and ex-Saint David Ijaha have all signed, while the likes of first team goalkeeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz have departed for pastures new.
Hayes were playing Conference Premier Football until the 2011-2012 season, when they were relegated after finishing in 21st position. Despite being at the top of the non-league pyramid so recently, the club has struggled to re-establish itself in the Conference South, and have been battling relegation for a number of seasons. They will be looking to turn things around in the 2014-15 season.
On the pitch, It’s been a mixed pre-season for United, with a 3-0 victory over Chalfont St Peter being the only win that they have recorded. Just three defeats and two draws will have been a disappointment to many, but they will take strength in the fact that pre-season tells you little about the up-coming season. They will no doubt be looking to return to winning ways when the season begins.
Saturday’s opener promises to be a tough test for the Saints, with questions marks remaining over whether Ben martin and John Frendo will play a part. Apart from those two concerns, Gray and Golds should have a fully fit squad to choose from.