Wells fires free-kick winner

9:05am Tuesday 11th December 2007

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Hampton's first ever visit to the university city of Cambridge saw them graduate with flying colours as they notched up their fourth away league win on the trot and their eighth unbeaten Blue Square South game overall.

The game only got the go ahead an hour before kick off as morning rain had made the pitch very heavy but fortunately the wind got up and blew the worst of the showers away and the game went ahead.Cambridge had fought a 2-2 draw at the Beveree earlier in the season but on this occasion never really got to grips with the conditions or the opposition.Hampton won their first corner, 33 seconds into the game, to send a message of intent to their hosts.Two minutes later City's Michael Gash should have done better with a header from Craig Radcliffe's cross from the left. Dave Theobald, City's central defender, headed away a Dean Wells free kick, Alan Inns driving the resulting cross high over the bar. In the fifth minute Lawrence Yaku got beyond the home defenders but hooked his shot wide.Moments later City's keeper Shane Herbert gave away a corner in saving from Yaku.

The home side had to defend a couple of successive corners, Joe Bruce having to clear an effort off the line.

In the 18th minute Lee Chaffey gave the ball away to Yaku and after a flurry of action Hampton's leading scorer flicked his foot at a through ball and the ball hammered against the cross bar, Jack Jeffrey striking the rebound over from close range.

Four minutes later, though, the Beavers took the lead with an excellent goal.

Inns brought down Wells' free kick and volleyed the ball into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area, Herbert given no chance. Orlando Jeffrey headed over a cross from Francis Quarm in the 25th minute.Then, totally against the run of play Cambridge equalised on the half hour. Gash won a free kick twenty yards out and took the free kick himself bending the shot beyond Hampton's defensive wall. Just before half time Orlando Jeffrey not only broke up an attack but also brought the ball some 40 yards to set up another attack.Five minutes into the second half Hampton regained the lead, Inns was fouled twenty five yards out, Wells set himself up and hit a pile driver through the wall.In the 55th minute later City somehow escaped conceding a third when desperate defending was needed to keep Hampton out. Then Jack Jeffrey tried an effort from 30 yards out after bringing down a high ball in one smooth, easy motion.Following another corner, Rob Paris headed the ball on for Yaku but the Hampton striker managed to miss the target from close range. Matt Lovett who had had a quiet game was suddenly brought into action when he did well to tip over Gash's effort for a corner. The game then petered out as the home side failed to find a way through Hampton's defence, the Beavers in control of the situation.Hampton: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Barrie Matthews, Orlando Jeffrey, Rob Paris, Dean Wells, Alan Inns, Elliott Godfrey (Stuart Lake, 74), Jack Jeffrey (Shaun McAuley, 74), Lawrence Yaku, Francis Quarm.Subs not used ; Aaron Barnett, Kelvin McIntosh, Marcello Fernandes.