HAMPTON & RICHMOND 1 BEES 0

Bees squad: Simon Brown, Canoville, Heywood, Mackie, Basey, Shakes, O'Connor, Pead (Mousinho 61), Tillen (Smith 46), Calliste (Peters 46), Ide. Subs not used: Masters, Brooker & Osborne. Hampton & Richmond squad: Lovett, Harper (Frost 61), Wells, Paris (Elverson 74), Haddow, Lake, Barnett (Quarm 46), Yaku, McIntosh (Fernades 46), Hodges, Harris (Godfery 61). Subs not used: Nash, Boosey, Gardner & Muldowney. Scorer: Yaku 16 Referee: A Halliday Attendance: 1,023

On a humid but breezy night at the Beveree the bees succumbed to a single goal defeat in the annual pre-season match between the two sides. The bees had three triallists on show, Lee Canoville (ex-Shrewsbury), Ricky Shakes (ex-Swindon) and Ramon Calliste (ex-Scunthorpe). Also at left back the bees fielded 18-year-old Grant Basey who joined the bees just hours before kick off from Charlton Athletic.

After just two minutes the hosts won a free kick, which was taken by Stuart Lake, but Simon Brown comfortably saved to his right. A couple of minutes later and the bees had a real scare when Matt Heywood and Sam Tillen stood off Lake who centred to Ian Hodges whose header hit the outside of the post. The hosts were enjoying plenty of possession and the bees offered little in the way of creativity.

In the 7^th minute the bees won a free kick for handball and the resultant kick was taken by Tillen who lofted the ball in but the referee blew for climbing. Tillen again took a bees free kick three minutes later but, it was a poor centre and easily dealt with but he got a second chance and drilled his shot in but the Rob Paris cleared any danger.

After 12 minutes the bees were again caught in possession but Mackie recovered well to force a corner. A minute later a run and shot by the dangerous Laurence Yaku was well saved by Brown. Three minutes later and another run through the heart of the bees midfield by Alex Haddow saw a save from Brown and the follow up was wasted by Lake and Hodges getting in each others way.

Brentford were very much on the back foot and in the 16^th minute Hampton & Richmond finally got what their build up play deserved when Yaku picked up a loose header from Mackie and raced clear to fire over Brown and into the net. It was a neat finish and a deserved lead for the hosts. The bees were all at sea and regular mix-ups between Heywood, Tillen and Mackie frustrated the large bees following.

Finally in the 20^th minute the bees created their first real chance when a quick Shakes throw found Tillen who layed the ball off to skipper Mackie on the overlap and his neat threw saw Calliste get on the end of it but he blazed his shot high and wide. A minute later a Heywood header found the lively Shakes who in turn found Ide who centred for Calliste who was beaten to the ball by Paris to win the bees their first corner of the match although nothing came of it.

Midway through the half Ide won a free kick on the right of the area which was taken by Tillen and his centre was dealt with by Wells for another corner. Pead's ball in found Heywood whose headed back flick landed on top of the net. A couple of minutes later a crude challenge on Ide by Paris (not the first time) resulted in a bees free kick, which was easily caught by Lovett.

On the 27 minute mark Ide picked the ball up from Basey's ball down the wing but, he couldn't repeat his strike against Staines on Saturday and this time his curling effort evaded the net. A couple of minutes later and an O'Connor mistake led to Glen Harris dispossessing the former bees skipper but he fired his shot straight at Brown. Seconds later and a well won header by O'Connor finds Shakes who plays a 1-2 with Canoville before crossing for Ide but the ball is scrambled away before the bees starlet has a chance to pull the trigger.

In the 34^th minute another sloppy piece of play, this time by Pead allows Yaku to run at the defence before finding Harper on the edge of the area and his shot/cross is was tipped over by the busy Brown. A few minutes later and Brown was again called into action when Hodges had a tame shot which was gathered easily by the bees shot stopper but, just seconds later Calliste was caught in possession and Harris drove in a dipping shot which Brown collected at full stretch. Five minutes from the break and a Hampton move was broken up by O'Connor who found Calliste on the right of the area and he forces a corner which finds Ide in space but Heywood scuffs his shot and the danger is over for the hosts.

The home side were again caught in possession and Tillen found Calliste on the right wing and his ball to finds Canoville but, the former Shrewsbury man ballooned the ball over. As the half drew to a close Mackie had a header go wide while at the other end Yaku's deflected chip resulted in a corner for the hosts. Soon after the half time whistle was blown.

At the start of the second half the bees made two changes. Ryan Peters replaced the poor Calliste and Gary Smith replaced the ineffective Tillen. The bees tactics also changed and they seemed to be more attacking. Nothing of note happened in the early stages of the second period until a thrown in from the right by Harper found Harris who centred for Lake but his shot went well wide.

Ten minutes into the half and Shakes was fouled by Paris and from Pead's free kick the ball was picked up by Shakes who crossed it in to the crowded area but the danger was dealt with a the bees won a corner from which Heywood headed over. A minute later Smith lost control of the ball and this mistake was pounced on by Yaku who run on but fired his shot wide. On the hour a curling Smith centred found Ide but, he couldn't control his header and the ball went out of play.

Then in the 61^st minute a really nasty challenge from Paris brought Pead's power packed run to a halt and the bees man was in some considerable pain and there was a 5 minute break while he was attended to. Early indications seemed to suggest a broken leg. He was replaced by John Mousinho.

In the 66^th minute Peters won the ball and went on a mazy run before finding O'Connor but he was dispossessed by Wells who in turn was tackled himself by Mousinho and his dipping centre went just over. A minute later and the busy Shakes was hacked down and from the resultant set play a goalmouth scramble ensued and efforts from Ide and O'Connor were desperately blocked before Shakes fired over.

20 minutes from time a good run and cross from Shakes was headed out for a corner from which Mackie headed just wide from close range.

The bees were now gaining the upper hand as the non-leaguers started to tire and 10 minutes from time a long Brown punt found the head of a Hampton defender and the bees had yet another corner. This time an O'Connor header was cleared off the line by Haddow. A minute later and Basey intercepted Frost midway in the bees half and went on a 40 yard run before crossing for Ide whose header found the outside of the post and denied him of a much deserved goal.

In the closing stages of the game Hampton had a few more chances to seal the victory with Quarm firing wide and the in the 88^th he could have sealed victory but Brown saved brilliantly from his looping header. The last chance of the match fell to the bees. Peters found Ide from Basey's through ball but his curled effort sailed over and a few minutes later referee Halliday blew his whistle.

It would be harsh to judge the bees too much on this performance alone but, they seemed to lack creativity and a scoring threat. Canoville, Shakes, Brown and Ide were the best players for the bees while Smith certainly impressed with his runs but, the defence needs to be sorted out with Tillen, Heywood and to a lesser extent Mackie all looking questionable. All in all the jury is still out but, performances need to improve if the bees are going to challenge in the league this season.