Hayes & Yeading's first game in three weeks saw a New Year's Day trip to Terry Brown's table toppers AFC Wimbledon and despite the result going the way many predicted it was not until four minutes from time that the Dons could start to take their feet of the pedals.

United started well and an early cross whipped in from the left by Elliott Buchanan saw Jake Hyde touch the ball goalwards but Dons keeper Seb Brown held on confidently. Almost immediately play swung to the other end when Mark Nwokeji chased down a weak backpass that had Lee Harrison sliding from his goal to kick clear, the ball going straight to Ryan Jackson who was inches wide from 35 yards out.

As play progressed, United were starting to get the upper hand on their high flying hosts. Adam Green fed the ball in to Hyde but Brown saved as the United striker shot on the turn and then seconds later Jamie Hand and Andy Yiadom combined to send Bradley Pritchard into the area but Brown was sharply off his line to grab the ball at the United man's feet.

The home side created the best chance of the half on 23 minutes when Rashid Yussuff slid the ball into the run of Nwokeji but Harrison was quickly out to block away his shot with his legs.

Brown had a real let off five minutes later when he grabbed hold of a Hyde header and proceeded to throw the ball straight to Hand who tried a first time shot from 20 yards but failed to hit the target.

Around the half hour mark the Dons finally started to put some real pressure on the United defence. Mark Nwokeji nodded down to Danny Kedwell who forced a full stretch tip away by Harrison. The United keeper missed his punch from the resultant corner and was grateful to Tom Cadmore who reacted quickest to hack the ball clear.

A minute later another Wimbledon corner went even closer as Kedwell headed over Harrison only for a well positioned Green to head off his own goalline.

Just before the break it was Brown who was needed to keep the scoresheet blank as he palmed away a skiding Peter Holmes drive from the edge of the area and we went in scoreless.

Terry Brown's reaction to his sides first half performance was a triple change at the break and this paid almost immediate dividends as his side were two goals to the good within nine minutes of the re-start.

Six minutes into the half, substitute Luke Moore sprayed the ball right to Ryan Jackson who raced into the United area before firing a shot that took a deflection before finding it's way into the far corner of Harrison's net. Just three minutes later left-back Chris Bush sent another substitute Kirk Hudson away on the left, his cross was deflected into the path of former United favourite James Mulley who crashed home a half volley from 25 yards that gave Harrison no chance.

With United shell shocked by this double strike it was some time before the visitors found some forward progress while comfortably keeping the home side at bay at the same time. 20 minutes remained when Holmes touched the ball to Buchanan on the corner of the Dons area but his shot was too high to trouble Brown.

Minutes later the home side almost "put the game away" when Ismail Yakubu rose highest to a free-kick but his header came back into play off the United crossbar and then within a minute it was game on again as the ball was played out to Green on the left, his low centre being hooked home by a sliding Hyde.

Minutes later though United made things harder for themselves when a trip on Luke Moore by Hand saw referee Hopkins produce a second yellow card and Hand was dismissed from the field. Almost instantly though it was United who went close as Hyde returned the compliment to Buchanan but his miss-hit shot went wide of the upright.

With United's ten men pushing forwards it was no surprise when Hudson broke away but his shot on the run was too high. Minutes later though the home sides two goal advantage was returned as an unmarked and offside looking Luke Moore smacked the ball home at the far post.

United still created chances in the dying embers though as firstly Pritchard and then substitute Phil Appiah saw shots stopped by Brown before a deft flick by Daniel Wishart sent Buchanan on goal but he screwed his shot wide with just Brown to beat.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Tom Cadmore.