Uxbridge romped to a comfortable Full Members Cup victory over neighbours Yeading, despite losing goalkeeper Sean Dawson to a ligament injury before half time. The Reds were forced to put Gavin Bamford in goal to replace Dawson but shouldn’t have worried as he put in an extremely accomplished performance between the sticks and was unfortunate in the end not to keep a clean sheet. Before the injury to Dawson the Reds had made a good start and were on the offensive from the kick off. Yeading may have had their minds on the following Saturday’s big FA Trophy tie at Burton Albion but Uxbridge were involved in the Trophy as well but certainly didn’t let it affect them. In the third minute Dean Clark’s shot was deflected wide and nine minutes later the same players free kick met a similar fate. Shortly afterwards some poor defending allowed Steve Walters a clear shot from twenty yards which was too high and then midway through the half Bamford sent a curler narrowly wide. Dawson was injured midway through the half in a goalmouth collision but struggled on until the thirty fourth minute before having to leave the field. Yeading sensed their opportunity and threatened two minutes before the interval when Stuart Lake’s cross flashed across the area just eluding in form striker Matt Edwards. However it was Uxbridge who confirmed their superiority with a goal three minutes into first half injury time. Clark split open the home defence with a perceptive through ball which substitute Jamie Carter latched onto before calmly rounding Jim Bannatyne in the home goal and blasting his side in front. It was Carter’s first goal since returning to the club a few weeks ago. The game was then effectively over after just three minutes of the second half as Uxbridge struck twice to leave Yeading reeling. Firstly Bannatyne punched the ball into the path of Clark, under pressure from Carter, and the Reds midfield playmaker returned it into the back of the net. Then Tunnell snapped up a deflected ball off the referee of all people to fire home number three. It was the Reds strikers’ first goal in seven matches and one which restored some much needed confidence. Although Shafer headed over from six yards just before the hour Yeading never looked likely to get back into the match and it was really just a matter of whether Uxbridge could add to their lead. In the sixty ninth minute Clark sent Walters away on the right and then ran thirty yards for a return pass at the far post but on receiving the ball shot narrowly wide. A minute later though the Reds did score again when Paul Mills picked out Tunnell with a long ball and having found his goalscoring touch the Reds centre forward smashed home his second of the game. In injury time both Carter and Tunnell were put through on goal with just Bannatyne to beat but neither could convert their chance. Then even further into injury time Lake grabbed a late consolation for the home side but by that time Uxbridge were already safely into the last sixteen of the competition for only the fourth time in the eleven seasons it has been in existence.

YEADING: Bannatyne, Hawkesworth (Fudai 73), Clarke, Bartholomew, Ashley, Denton, Britnell (Bissah 61), Shafer, Edwards, Lake, Bayliss.

Sub not used: Hedge.

UXBRIDGE: Dawson (Carter 34), Granville, G.Bamford, K.Cleary, Weedon (Harrison 73), Walters, Mills, Gill, Tunnell, Moore (Roberts 81), Clark.