Chris Moore’s first goal of 2001 gave Uxbridge a deserved victory over local rivals Yeading and continued their tremendous record at the Warren. In eight meetings at Yeading’s home ground the Reds have only ever lost once, and that was back in 1986/87, and this seasons result takes the number of away victories in the fixture to an impressive six. Spurred on by their excellent midweek comeback to knock Enfield out of the Middlesex Senior Cup this was a revitalised Uxbridge side determined to finally get out of the losing rut which has dragged them down all season. In the early exchanges the Reds were quicker to the ball and stronger in the tackle and consequently created far more chances than the ’Ding. In the third minute the shape of the game became apparent when Paul Mills fed Lee Tunnell and his shot was deflected wide by Chris Sparks. Three minutes later Tunnell turned provider, laying a ball into the feet of Dean Clark who shot over from the edge of the area and it was the visitors who were calling the shots. The early dominance was rewarded in the twelfth minute when Daryl Pelton’s clearance was headed sideways by Sparks straight into the path of Moore who guided a controlled shot just inside the post. To make matters worse for home supporters Yeading started to suffer an injury crisis on the field, making their first change just after the quarter hour mark and using all three substitutes by half time, having to replace both strikers. The ‘Ding finally began to get into gear in the twentieth minute when Jason Tucker found Warren Bayliss who in turn headed the ball into the path of substitute Kevin Bissah but he shot over. Tucker had an effort deflected wide shortly afterwards and then Dwayne Clarke made a good run before curling his shot wide. Just after the hour the lively Bissah made a promising break down the right hand side and then crossed for Clarke who was off target with a diving header. After that though it was Uxbridge who finished the half on top and should have gone in at the interval further ahead. In the thirty fourth minute Pelton’s miss hit clearance fell kindly and was dummied in midfield before Moore flicked it precisely into Tunnell’s stride leaving the striker with just Jim Bannatyne in the home goal to beat, but the giant goalkeeper got down well to save at Tunnell’s feet. Bannatyne denied Tunnell again shortly afterwards, tipping his free kick over the crossbar, before saving his side in another one on one situation. This time it was Tunnell who put Moore through on goal and though the young striker shook off his defenders, Bannatyne did extremely well once more to get down and block the shot. After the break the game became more even with the home side having plenty of possession but unable to penetrate the Uxbridge defence. The Reds had a good shout for a penalty turned down in the early stages of the half when Bannatyne appeared to clip Moore. Yeading in the meantime were restricted to long range efforts with Dwane Lee shooting wide from the edge of the area and Tucker letting fly from twenty five yards straight into the hands of Pelton. Bannatyne saved twice from Gavin Bamford midway through the half before another long-range shot, this time from Carl Levine, was only narrowly wide at the other end. The only real concern for Uxbridge though came in the final minute when Pelton was unable to hold a cross and the ball was cleared in an untidy scramble. An equaliser would have been more than Yeading deserved and the final result meant that Uxbridge had gone three games unbeaten for the first time this season, with all three of those matches ending in victories.

UXBRIDGE: Pelton, Mills, S.Bamford, K.Cleary (Granville 82), Weedon, G.Bamford, J.Cleary, B.Bamford, Tunnell, Moore (Hamar 84), Clark.

Sub not used: Walters

YEADING: Bannatyne, Eaton, Sparks, Lee, Hawkesworth, Denton, Lake (Levine 32), Tucker, Edwards (Hedge 43), Bayliss (Bissah 16), Clarke.