General Lee is midfield maestro (27.12.03)

AN IMPRESSIVE second half performance from the Magpies earned them a deserved three-point haul against high-flying Hayes on Saturday.
After a first half display in which the home side had been one-dimensional and seemingly without purpose, they started the second half on the front foot and never looked back.
They importantly held on to the ball – rather than try sometimes ambitious and often hopeful long balls – pushed forward and ran at the creaky Hayes defence.
Marytn Lee and Mark Boyce had a lot of success with this, particularly down the right flank where they got to the by-line on many occasions.
During this golden period it was important that the Magpies found the back of the net and they duly did on 49 minutes.
A precise pass to the feet of Lawrence Yaku was neatly controlled and then delivered on the angle to the free-running Jamie Brookes in the area.
The new signing took a steady first touch and then fired the ball past the sprawling Jake Cole in the Hayes goal from 10 yards.
It was just the tonic the Magpies had been looking for and it set them up for the rest of the match.
Although the home side enjoyed few clear cut chances, they fought back well to earn the lion’s share of possession, and showed what a good footballing unit they can be.
In particular the midfield of Brookes, Kelvin McIntosh, Lee and Boyce swamped their opposite numbers with their workrate on and off the ball.
Yet the goal apart, the Magpies did not really create too many scoring oportunities, although they had a very good shout for a penalty turned down with 10 minutes remaining when Boyce appeared to be shoved off the ball.
Hayes for their part, although they were blown away with the force of the Magpies’ impressive football after the interval, created four or five excellent chances which were not taken.
Mark Molesley blasted an early effort at keeper Nick Hart and shortly after Rob Bixby put his free header over the bar.
The clearest opportunity came on the half hour when Kevin Warner’s drive was blocked, the follow-up from Stuart Goodall was slammed against the cross bar and then Molesley from six yards out volleyed the rebound out of the ground.
But the Magpies survived this first half battering, and looked all the stronger for it.
Hayes then only looked like scoring in the final minutes of the match when they threw caution to the wind – Hart having to save well with his legs when Josh Scott was clean through, and Luke Costello doing well to block a goalbound shot from 12 yards which proved to be the last kick of the match.
The three points, and the manner in which they were achieved, should be a real shot in the arm to Dreyer’s men and their aspirations of a top 13 finish, especially after some poor recent form.

FAST FORWARD: Magpies full-back Brendon Gallen gets down the left flank against Hayes on Saturday. Ref: 84057/2.