Hayes & Yeading United moved to within two points of guaranteed survival in the Blue Square Premier with a point from a 1-1 draw with Barrow at Church Road after Ram Marwa had given United the lead with a spectacular overhead strike midway through the second half only for Phil Bolland to level for the Cumbrians.

The game started at a steady pace on a rare sunny afternoon with the two sides sizing each other up. First glimpse of goal came on nine minutes when a quick throw to Jason Walker saw the Barrow striker touch the ball past Matt Ruby before seeing his shot intercepted and blocked wide by Marc Canham.

Canham was to be involved in most things United did all afternoon and it was his forward ball to Steve Basham that set up United's first opening as the striker fed Ram Marwa but his shot on the turn was too high to trouble Tim Deasy in the Barrow goal. Seconds later Canham sent the ball to James Mulley who neatly sidestepped a challenge from Barrow skipper Paul Jones and advanced on goal only to be caught by Jones as he checked back and the ball was slid out for a corner that was to come to nothing.

Just before the half hour mark another defensive interception denied a shot on goal for the visitors, this time Ruby getting in the way of an Andrew Bond effort that had been created by good work from Simon Spender on the right side.

Minutes later United went as close as anybody had when Basham found himself unusually on the right flank, he switched the ball inside to Mulley who sent Danny Allen-Page into the area only for his shot across Deasy's goal to roll agonisingly wide of the far post.

First half stoppage time saw a real chance go begging for Barrow as Mike Pearson chipped the ball into the United area, the defence seemed to freeze waiting for an offside flag, and Walker could only head weakly into the ground and up into Masters' arms.

United were hit early in the second half as Steve Basham had to be replaced by Charlie Ide. Ide was soon into the action though as he returned a partially cleared corner to Toby Little who crossed deep to Tom Cadmore, his header across the area being flicked by Ruby before Deasy grasped the ball ahead of a sliding Marwa. Two minutes later Cadmore tried his luck from 35 yards as he drove a free-kick that only just cleared the crossbar.

Just after the hour mark Spender fired a cross-field pass to Pearson who controlled in an instant before striking a shot that Masters held. Play immediately switched to the other end and the deadlock was broken. Cadmore played the ball to Allen-Page, his cross being met by a flying Marwa who planted a perfect overhead kick into the bottom corner of Deasy's net.

Almost immediately the visitors made a triple substitution which almost proved an instant success when Nick Chadwick got on the end of a Jones knock down but his effort was well held by Masters. The equaliser was only eight minutes away though as fellow substitute Gregg Blundell played a cross that seemed to catch the United defence flat footed and Phil Bolland rose to head home at the far post.

Two reasonable chances came United's way in the final minutes, Štolcers firing inches wide from 25 yards out and in stoppage time Allen-Page beat Deasy to a Marwa throughball but his lofted effort was off target leaving the scores level and the spoils fairly shared.




Report by Kevin Watts.




Photos by Ray Peploe.




Highlights courtesy of FC Video




United Man of the Match: Marc Canham.