After losing their opening Southern League Premier Division game 1-0 away to Dartford on the Saturday, the Ducks bounced back well as they got their League Cup campaign off to a flying start with a five star performance at the Camrose Ground.
United took the lead in the 17th minute when Gary Harthill?s pinpoint cross from the left to the edge of the 6 yard area was met with Cliff Campbell?s textbook header. ?Stoke levelled 8 minutes later when Paul Sandford volleyed home following from Mark Davies? free-kick but United were back in front in the 29th minute when Walker turned Phil Coombs inside out on the right before pulling the ball from the byeline for Cliff Hercules to stick out a leg and guide the ball home.
It was 3-1 in the 51st minute when Hercules was clattered in the area by Davies and Dave Botterill emphatically sent the resulting penalty past Steve Witcher. It was 4-1 on 66 minutes as Botterill delicately flicked a free kick over the wall for Harthill to run onto and he pulled the ball back into the 6 yard area where Peter Hutter missed but Hercules didn?t.
The rout was complete in the 71st minute when Botterill?s run into the area was ended with a tap on the ankles by Brian Lucas and Botterill dispatched his 2nd penalty of the night past Witcher to leave the hosts wondering what on earth had hit them.
