Paterson earns Hawks victory over Cardiff XI

The visitors included the experienced figures of Adam Le Fondre and Kagisho Dikacoi but were on the wrong end of an entertaining night’s action. George Barker was prominent down the right in a busy opening from the Hawks. Cardiff, however, looked slick when they counter-attacked at pace and Tommy Sullivan had a close-range effort blocked. Both teams were moving the ball quickly and showing good energy on a warm evening. Neither side created much in the way of clear-cut chances, though, and Robbie Patten’s rising drive was easily taken by Ryan Young in the home goal. Minutes later Barker shot straight at the City goalkeeper after the ball was laid back to him by Theo Lewis. Two minutes before the break Oliver Byrne produced a superb one-handed save to keep a Jason Prior header out of the bottom corner. City’s substitute goalkeeper Luke O’Reilly went close to dropping a Rory Williams cross into his own net in the early minutes of the second half. O’Reilly made amends by punching the ball away from the head of James Hayter after Ben Swallow stood a neat cross into the six yard box. Barker and substitute Matt Paterson linked up well in a move that ended with fellow sub Alfie Rutherford guiding a header wide of the far post. The Hawks went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 72nd minute. Swallow crossed superbly from the right and O’Reilly somehow managed to claw Barker’s point-blank header off the goal line. The Hawks finished the game strongly and snatched a winner four minutes from time. Second-half sub Marley Ridge nicked the ball away on half-way and burst forward to the edge of the City area. The youngster put Paterson through and the striker expertly chipped the ball into the far corner. Hawks: Young, Strugnell, Medway, Stock, Woodford, Molyneaux, Tarbuck, Lewis, Prior, Hayter, Barker. Subs: Paterson, Swallow, Robinson, Williams, Rutherford, Whittingham, Ridge, Millar.