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Our under 18's scored a maximum three points from their home opener this evening as two early Ryan Jones goals set them on the way to a 3-0 victory over Chesham United.

The young Missioners could have taken a second minute lead but Dan Mehmet's chip from just inside the area just cleared the crossbar. We did not have to wait long however for the opener, with nine minutes played a deep cross from the right saw visiting keeper Matt Cannings fumble a cross on landing, the ball fell to Liam Hind who placed it across the six yard box where Jones had the simple task of tapping home.

One tap in soon became two, just six minutes later, a Mehmet pass between two defenders saw Cannings miss his kick again leaving the ever sharp Jones the easiest of finishes to double the Missioners lead.

With Hayes in the ascendancy, a third almost arrived on the half hour mark for both team and Jones, a neat throughball by Chris Park saw the striker draw Cannings towards him before lifting his shot just over the bar.

The visitors had their best spell of the half just before the break when firstly George Needham found George Coyle in space only to be denied an effort on goal by a superbly timed Dave Thomas intervention, the resultant corner falling to Jon Coverley whose shot was deflected wide through a crowd of players. Just before the break Steve Scales hit a curling shot from 25 yards that had keeper Ciaran Houlihan scrambling but the effort went inches wide of the upright.

The second half seemed to take an age to get going as the Hayes players appeared to relax and let Chesham come at them. A shot on the turn by Phil Sole was well blocked by Jerome Ferguson before Coyle saw his shot from the edge of the area clear the bar.

The home side then wrapped up the game sixteen minutes from time with their first meaningful attack of the half, Michael Bryan raced away down the right flank, getting to the byeline before cutting back a perfect ball to Mehmet who placed his shot accurately inside the far post giving Cannings no chance.

While this was the end of the scoring it was not the end of the action, a four minute spell soon after the third goal saw both sides sadly reduced to ten men as in two separate incidents a tangle of legs led to a red card. First to walk was our own Jamie Lindsay who tangled with a Chesham forward and although the ball appeared to have run away a red card was issued as he was deemed to be the last man. Four minutes later Chesham were also reduced as another tangle, albeit going away from goal, saw James Donnelly again dismissed as the last man.

Two minutes from time Chesham were given hope when Ferguson was adjudged by the referee's assistant to have handled in the area and a penalty was awarded, Coyle stepped up but Houlihan guessed correctly and made a fine save to his right.

Stoppage time saw two further chances, one apiece, Matt Carroll shot into Cannings arms after good work on the left by Jack Rooney and Mark Stack went even closer for United, chesting down and hitting a volley from at least 30 yards that beat Houlihan and cannoned back off the bar.

Report by Kevin Watts.