For the second match in a row, a late Pierre Dubois goal earned Hayes & Yeading United a draw, this time denying Maidenhead United a victory.

No new triallists were introduced, but manager Garry Haylock took the opportunity to take a further look at several players who have already been introduced in the pre-season programme so far.

The visitors started strongly, but it was the 14th minute before a chance was created, as former Hayes & Yeading keeper Steve Williams tipped wide a Dubois shot after he played a neat one two with Peter Holmes.

From the resulting corner, Tom Cadmore was challenged in the air and the ball fell to Ishmael Welsh who saw his shot cannon off the crossbar.

Maidenhead rallied and from a half cleared corner, Sam Collins volleyed just wide. However, the visitors continued to pressurise Maidenhead’s goal and from their own corner (taken short), Jamie Hand crossed to an unmarked Dubois but from right in front of goal, he shot straight at Williams.

A route one play gave Alex Wall an opportunity for the hosts but he fired well wide following Kieron St Aimie’s flick on. Then Marcus Rose headed just wide from Ashley’s Smith’s deep corner.

Just before half time, Williams denied Hayes & Yeading again, catching Charlie Wassmer’s looping header from Lewis Ferrell’s cross.

The home side brought on former Hayes & Yeading striker Kieran Knight at half time and only six minutes later, he stunned his former side by heading Bobby Behzadi’s cross into the bottom corner.

A Hand volley from long range after Adam Green’s cross had been partially blocked tested Williams’ handling, but much of the action at this point was at the other end. Knight had two more opportunities, which he fired wide of goal, the second from a particularly good position. Then substitute keeper Dexter Burt produced a smart reaction save to deny Collins. Burt followed this up with an even better diving save to keep out Martel Powell’s close range header.

But pleasingly, United ended another pre-season game strongly. Substitute Jack Pattison forced a corner and Holmes hit it deep to the far post. Hand headed the ball back in front of goal for Dubois to acrobatically volley the ball in off the bar, and although the Maidenhead players tried to play on, the assistant signalled that the ball had crossed the line.

Six minutes from time, Burt once again came to the rescue as Collins got up from a Deen challenge and fired a fierce shot towards goal which Burt pushed away. Play switched straight to the other end, but Holmes hit a weak shot following Pattison’s cut back and Williams held it comfortably.

The visitors really turned up the pressure in the final moments. Elliott Buchanan headed a Holmes corner over from a good position. Then Deen found Bradley Pritchard with a throughball, but Williams raced out to smother his shot. Deen and Pritchard combined again right at the death, and when the latter centred, it looked for all the world that Wassmer would score, but he blasted his half volley over.

Report by Nick Bell.