Hest Bend 4 - 1 Merthames Albion

Key Events:

• 11' Yellow card to Merthames Albion Michel Lemoine
• 21' Yellow card to Hest Bend Pedro Chagas
• 38' Yellow card to Merthames Albion Jorge Alvez
• 43' Hest Bend Martin Levesque scores, assisted by Adriano Abrantes
• 63' Hest Bend Martin Levesque scores, assisted by Phillip Lewis
• 65' Yellow card to Hest Bend Adriano Abrantes
• 68' Hest Bend Adriano Abrantes scores
• 72' Hest Bend Pedro Chagas scores, assisted by Martin Levesque
• 74' Merthames Albion Michel Lemoine scores
• 84' Yellow card to Hest Bend Martin Levesque

Expected Goals (xG) Analysis: Hest Bend scored four from a Gazzetta chance-quality estimate of 3.09, a modest return above expectation rather than an implausible escape from the laws of probability. Merthames Albion scored once from 0.36 xG, making the most of a rare opportunity, but the wider numbers tell the harder story: one shot all match, against 14 for the hosts. Possession was almost evenly split, and the visitors had more corners, yet neither measure translated into sustained threat. Hest Bend were far more direct in the useful sense of putting attempts on target: 11 of their 14 shots tested the goalkeeper. The scoreline was emphatic; the chance count says it was also well earned.

The opening half offered more cautions than goals, with three bookings before Levesque broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. After the interval, Hest Bend made the scoreline move quickly: Levesque struck again, Abrantes added a third, and Chagas made it four by the 72nd minute. Merthames Albion replied through Michel Lemoine two minutes later, but the goal came too late to alter the shape of the contest. The visitors had more possession, corners and dribbles; Hest Bend had the shots, the goals and, in the end, the result.