Yaku winds back the clock as Beavers enjoy rare victory

The Beavers secured their first league victory in eight games with a deserved victory over Basingstoke Town, thanks to a second-half brace from veteran striker Lawrence Yaku, after the hosts had taken an early lead through a Gary Frewin penalty.

On a soft pitch that had already started to cut up following the pre-match warm-up, Alan Devonshire sent out his team with the simple message: to work hard and never give up.

For majority of the game, the Beavers were in the ascendancy, denying their hosts time on the ball, pressurising them and halting most of the danger well before it would reach Matt Lovett’s penalty area.

Going forward, the pairing of Craig Dundas and Yaku gave the hosts problems throughout, and 35-year-old Yaku rolled back the years with two fine goals.

Starting attacking up the slope, Basingstoke had the first chance, a 20-yard free-kick that was routinely saved by Lovett, for the Beavers Dean Inman headed just wide on four minutes before the home side took the lead on nine minutes.

A slip in midfield allowed David Pratt to burst through the backline and, having taken it past a couple of defenders, he went down under a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge from Barrie Matthews.

The referee Mr Huxtable pointed to the spot and then raced away at a speed Usain Bolt would have been proud off to the other side of the pitch.

Frewin stepped up and, despite Lovett guessing the correct direction, the ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

The Beavers responded with a spell of concerted pressure, which saw Craig Dundas shoot over and Yaku have a header saved by Barnard in the home goal.

Mr Huxtable then awarded Hampton a free-kick on the edge of the box when Yaku appeared to have been tripped inside the area. From the free-kick, Dean Inman flashed a header just wide of the post.

Basingstoke had the ball in the back of the net again after 26 minutes, however the goal was ruled out for offside.

The first half ended with Hampton looking to get back in to the game, with Stuart Lake firing just wide and Dundas direct a header wide at the far post.

If Hampton just shaded the first half, they dominated the second, going at Basingstoke from the start and not allowing them any chance to find any rhythm in their play.

The half was only 60 seconds old when Dean Wells forced a save from Barnard in the home goal.

The frustration in the home side was there for all to see and, on 55 minutes, there was a scuffle in front of the home dug out when assistant manager Gerry Murphy kicked the ball away, which lead to a confrontation between several parties and ended with Murphy and Chris Robinson getting a talking to from the referee.

The match official continued to frustrate the visiting side and the Beavers had further claims for a penalty turned down when Barnard tripped Dundas as he looked to go round him on the edge of the six-yard box.

On 68 minutes, Hampton had another good shout when, on the edge of the box, as the ball bounced up and appeared to strike the raised arm of Ashley Mitchell.

Within two minutes, however, they were level as Yaku struck.

Dundas chased down what seemed a lost cause on the left wing and earned a throw-in for the Beavers, Matthews and Karl Beckford played a quick one-two, before Matthews whipped the ball in.

Yaku, with his back to goal, chested the ball down and ,as it rose, performed a perfect bicycle kick that saw the ball nestle in the bottom corner of the net.

You would have thought this would be the cue for Basingstoke to pile on the pressure, however they were never given a chance as the midfield trio of Lake, Collier and Beckford gave no quarter and the defence stood up to everything that was thrown at them.

On 70 minutes, Devonshire replaced Beckford with Craig Tanner, with the wing-back occupying Beckford’s place in the middle of the park, and it was from a superb Tanner ball that Hampton almost scored a second, his ball released Dundas, whose driven cross was inches away from being turned in by Yaku before Mitchell hooked the ball away for a corner.

On 82 minutes, Hampton had yet another solid claim for a penalty.

A ball over the top set Yaku away and, as he raced through and past Barnard on the left-hand side of the box, contact was made by the keeper and Yaku went down - but nothing was given.

Shortley afterwards, a fine passage of play between Collier, Tanner and Lake ended with a Lake shot from 18 yards fizzing inches wide of Barnard's left-hand post.

As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, Hampton were grateful to Lovett as he pulled off a fine save to palm away a fearsome Jahson Downes shot, and then fell on the ball before any of the strikers could react.

From Lovett’s clearance, Yaku raced through the static Basingstoke defence before being hauled down right on the edge of the box by Mitchell, who saw red for his actions.

Wells' free-kick went under the wall and was half cleared to Lake, whose lofted cross found Yaku, unmarked in the middle of the penalty area, and he directed his header down and past Barnard.

The home side surrounded the referee and linesman demanding to know why no offside had been awarded, but it mattered not to the now joyous Hampton players and supporters who were at last able to enjoy that winning feeling again.

Hampton now go into a tough run of games over the next four weeks with something to build on, the positives that were seen in the Bromley game were further improved upon and hopefully this will mark a turning point in Hampton’s season.

The Beavers face mid-table sides Welling United and Bishop’s Stortford this week, before welcoming play-off hopefuls Dover and champions-elect Newport to Beveree next week.

Hampton: Matt Lovett, Chris Robinson, Barrie Matthews, Orlando Jeffrey, Dean Inman, Dean Wells, Stuart Lake, Nathan Collier, Craig Dundas, Lawrence Yaku (Joey Collewijn, 90), Karl Beckford (Craig Tanner 75)

Subs not used: Blake Goodman, Romayne Thomas, Ian Hodges

Att 403

Bookings: Orlando Jeffrey & Barrie Matthews

Man of the Match: Nathan Collier - did all the dirty work in the middle of the park, snapping at the heels of the home midfield, and making excellent use of the ball when in possession. Honourable mentions also to Dean Inman, who was superb at the back, and Chris Robinson, who hardly put a foot wrong all game.