Hayes & Yeading United‘s chances of claiming the Allied Counties League Premier Division title vanished after a second scoreless draw in a row all but handed the title to Northwood.

United’s plans went awry before kick off when Daniel Mehmet picked up an injury in the warm up and Daniel Wishart had to substitute him before kick off. However, the first half was rather uneventful for United’s defence, but centre half Jamie Lindsay did volley the ball against the crossbar from Josh Andrew’s near post corner.

Lindsay was involved in the next significant United move as both his and Wishart’s goalbound shots were blocked and Jake Lovell turned the rebound over the bar.

Impressive Chesham keeper James Weatherill did well to palm away Ashley Barnes’ low free kick on 25 minutes before Chesham’s best chance fell to George House who met Ben Lloyd’s deep cross but was inches wide with his shot.

Weatherill denied United again just before the break. Ollie Fayed got a strong header forward which cleared the Chesham defence and allowed Wishart to speed away behind them but again Weatherill pulled off a smart diving save.

Just after half time, Andrew ought to have done better when a clever dummy by Lovell from Fayed’s long pass put him totally in the clear, but his weak shot was no match for Weatherill’s reactions.

The home side sensed the frustration in the United ranks. Jamie Rudd’s long ball sent Phil Sole clear and for a while his lob looked like going in but landed wide.

House then hit the post with a flicked header from Jon Coverley’s long throw in as Chesham got far more into the game. Lindsay volleyed just over from another Andrew corner, but Chesham again went close when Sole dispossessed Lindsay and laid the ball off to Rudd whose 25 yard curler was well held by Matthew Faley.

Both sides continued to press for the only goal right until the end. Nathan Webb played Andrew in and he cut inside and fired just wide of the goal. However, Chesham thought they’d got it when Faley’s punch from Coverley’s free kick landed at Sole’s feet but Webb got a vital block in and Calum Mansell hooked the ball over the bar.

But Dominic McAuley was inches away from claiming the important elusive goal with just four minutes remaining when having collected Wishart’s pass, he crashed a 20 yard shot against the inside of the post and the ball ricocheted agonisingly across goal and to safety.

Report by Nick Bell.