Full-time report as United score double figures
A youthful United enjoyed an excellent night at Abingdon Town tonight as they won 10-1. A hat-trick from captain Sam Long, two apiece from James Roberts and Aidan Hawtin and goals from Callum O’Dowda, Matt Bevans and trialist Duncan Culley gave United an emphatic boost as they prepare for the new season.
It took The U’s 16 minutes to find the breakthrough when O’Dowda exchanged passes with James Roberts before drilling the ball left footed into the bottom right corner. Ten minutes later O’Dowda turned provider with a free kick from the left which skipper Long finished with a neat flick from ten yards out.
Abingdon, who had asked for a friendly to raise funds after spending three months with the ground flooded last season, were sinking and on 32 were 3-0 down as Roberts finished clinically for his third goal in four games to make it 3-0.
Three minutes later and United were 4-0 up as right back Bevans stormed forward and planted a left-footed effort past home keeper Ashley Brown from the edge of the box.
Having already hit the post through the lively Josh Shama and seen O’Dowda and Roberts also go close, The U’s were coasting and on 40 Hawtin made it five goals from five scorers as he made yet another great run into the box and curled his shot across and beyond Brown.
Roberts then scored his second - his fourth in four pre-season games - when he rounded the keeper right on the break to make it 6-0.
Skipper Long then capped a most impressive performance as one of the holding midfielders with two good goals. First he thumped home a header from a Lewis Hayden free kick and then he chipped home over the stranded keeper from a tight angle to make it 8-0 on 56.
On 64 trialist striker Culley, from Shortwood, made it 9-0 when his cross-shot sailed over the keeper and into the far corner, and although Abingdon then got one back on 75 they could easily have gone ten down when AJ George was blatantly tripped in the box. Their reprieve was shortlived as Hawtin made it double figures with a close range goal on 87 to complete the scoring.
Ten goals, youthful promise aplenty and so on to Wolves and Bournemouth at home. Excellent.
United
Trialist, Bevans (Humphreys 46), Trialist, Grant, Trialist, Long, Ashby (George 46), Hawtin, Shama (Conte58) , O’Dowda (Hayden 46), Roberts (Culley 46)