Baynes hits hat-trick for Harleston

Harleston Magpies travel down to Fareham this weekend to face a very strong side which the team encountered at the play-offs last season.

Harleston faced Staines in their last home friendly game before the league season kicked off and won 4-1.

The previous weekend had seen the team travel down to Birmingham for a double header which saw the team come away with a draw and a defeat.

The team welcomed new goalkeeper Richard Harms and youngsters Dan Legg and Will Harrison.

Staines started strongly pressurising the Harleston defence high up the pitch, despite a few minor wobbles the defence stood firm and soon stepped into their rhythm.

With the Staines team pushing so hard a lot of space was left behind them for the Harleston forward line to exploit.

Harleston soon found the break through when Tristan Baynes snuck in at the back post to calmly slot past the advancing keeper.

Staines continued to press hard, after a couple of scares Harleston managed to grab a second just before half-time.

Sitch and Ming combined in defence before the latter crashed the ball through the Staines press finding Neil Toulson on the right in acres of space.

Toulson advanced through to the edge of the circle before squaring the ball to Wheeler, the Staines keeper got a touch but fortunately the ball fell to Baynes at the top of the D, who smashed the ball goalwards with a reverse-stick move.

The second half started well for Magpies, the team showing more composure on the ball all over the pitch.

The team did not have to wait long before they grabbed their third goal when Jimmy Wheeler snatched his fourth goal in four games to extend the game beyond Staines' grasp.

As the game became more open Harleston let their standards slip which allowed Staines to sneak a goal back when Leate turned the ball into his own net at the back post.

Despite this setback the team wanted more goals and before the final whistle Baynes rounded off a great display by completing his hat-trick.