For the second consecutive home game, a late penalty has gone the way of Hayes & Yeading, this time seeing Steve Basham fire home an equaliser deep into stoppage time against Eastbourne Borough.

Manager Garry Haylock had two changes forced upon him from the side that won at Kettering seven days previous as Danny Allen-Page (suspension) and Justin Cochrane (injury) were replaced by Ram Marwa and Craig Watkins. Another change to the starting line-up saw a fit again Dale Binns replace Toby Little who took his place on the bench.

The visiting Sports took just nine minutes to break the deadlock when a chip forwards into the right channel saw Jamie Taylor beat the offside trap and advance on Simon Overland who had come from his goal, the Borough player taking a touch before firing wide of Overland's dive and into the far corner of the United net.

Prior to going behind, United had a chance of their own when James Mulley found Watkins on the right, his centre was met be the in-coming Sean Canham but he could not get power in his header and Borough keeper Dan Knowles fielded the ball comfortably.

Chances throughout the half were to be at a real premium as the visitors seemed content to just sit back and defend the early strike. At the midway point in the half Marc Canham played a short free-kick to Esmond James who whipped in a cross that was met on the volley by Watkins but his effort went wide of the post. Watkins was again on the ball in the Borough area a couple of minutes later but his near post cross to Sean Canham saw the United striker's effort blocked away by Ben Austin in the six yard box.

The Sports were having a large amount of possession throughout the half without really getting a second bite at the United goal and with four minutes to go before the break it was again the home side on the advance as Binns flicked on to Sean Canham but his shot was well charged down by Gary Elphick.

The first opening of the second half fell to United when Adam Green rolled a short free-kick to Tom Cadmore, his drive from 25 yards being smothered at the foot of the post by Knowles.

After this Hayes & Yeading struggled to find a way through a solid Borough back line and this in turn saw the visitors break away on more than one occasion as United pushed more men forwards chasing the equaliser.

Just before the hour mark a long ball from the back saw Taylor break away on the right only to fire wide and then on the hour Taylor again broke away before sliding the ball inside to Joe Benjamin, his shot bringing a fine diving stop from Overland who pushed the ball away for a corner. The resultant corner was helped on at the near post to Taylor at the far but he could only head across goal and wide.

Having twice gone close, the Sports pushed forwards again minutes later when Liam Enver-Marum broke clear onto a Benjamin pass, the striker being superbly chased down and challenged by Mulley in the box which allowed Overland to dive on the loose ball.

United went close in the 76th minute when debutant Steve Basham, an earlier replacement for Sean Canham, latched onto a Binns cross to fire a left foot shot that only just cleared Knowles' crossbar.

It could have been game over two minutes later when Simon Johnson picked out Matt Crabb at the far post but his header was wide of the mark.

As the game entered stoppage time Watkins was denied from close range and a corner ensued. The corner was played into the area and referee Bennett immediately blew for handball by Borough's Elphick and a penalty was awarded. Basham stepped up as fired home a debut goal that took United's unbeaten run in the League to 6 games.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.

Highlights courtesy of FC Video

Barratt Homes United Man of the Match: James Mulley.