With both teams playing somewhat experimental line-ups it was Hayes & Yeading United who progressed to the semi-finals of this years Middlesex Senior Cup as all three front line strikers found the net in a 5-2 victory at Earlsmead on Tuesday evening.
United were to have the bulk of the early possession with the first real opening coming on 14 minutes when debutant and regular under 18 left-back Joel Jacobs swung in a corner from the left that fellow full-back Lewis Ferrell met at the far post but his header was comfortably wide of the target.
Borough keeper John Armand was soon in the action as a long diagonal from Tom Cadmore
sailed over the head of defender Peter Morales and was taken into the area by Andy Yiadom who saw his effort saved by the home keeper.
Harrow's first effort in anger came in the 21st minute when a deep cross from the right fell perfectly to Evandro Delgado on the edge of the area but his volley dipped just over Delroy Preddie's crossbar. Play quickly returned to the other end as Phil Appiah drove forwards before playing the ball left to Jefferson Louis, he played the ball to Ben Wright who turned sharply to beat his marker only to hit his shot at Armand who did enough to block it away to safety.
The deadlock was finally broken on 27 minutes when a quickly taken throw-in to Elliott Buchanan saw the in form striker turn past his marker before hitting a shot that took a deflection off Dean Marney thus wrong footing Armand leaving the ball to nestle in the back of his net.
Louis then went close for United with a curling effort from 20 yards before Preddie was called into action at the other end when a corner was played to Marney on the edge of the area, his shot being well held by the United keeper.
Final chance of the half saw Jacobs
send Buchanan away on the left, he squared the ball to Wright who made space for a shot but it swung away wide of the far post.
It took United 80 seconds to double the advantage after the break. Louis played Yiadom into the area and despite his shot being blocked by Armand, Buchanan was on hand to fire home the rebound from close range. Number three was only minutes away too, again Armand failed to hold a shot, this time from Wright with Louis moping up to roll the ball home.
The home side saw a glimmer of a comeback in the 67th minute when a poor Ferrell backpass wrong footed Preddie
and despite the keepers chase, the ball rolled into the United net to give Borough their first of the night.
Ten minutes later the contest was effectively killed off as United netted twice more in a five minute spell. First to find the net was Louis who volleyed home an Adam Green free-kick from close range. Next to find the net was Wright, Nathan Webb set up a shooting chance for Buchanan and when the ball came free from Armand's grasp the United striker was on hand to tap home.
The gap should have been reduced in the 82nd minute when Delgado played the ball across the United area
to an unmarked substitute Dewayne Clarke who in trying to smash it home managed to hit the upright with just Preddie to beat. Harrow did eventually get a second consolation in stoppage time, Warren Whitely hitting a firm low cross that Preddie blocked but Dean Fenton was quickest to react and he fired home from close range.
Report by Kevin Watts.
United Man of the Match: Jefferson Louis.
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