Garry Haylock made four changes to the side beaten a week previous by Grimsby, out went Nathan Webb (suspended) and Adrian Pătulea (injured) to be replaced by Lewis Ferrell and Jake Hyde while new loan signing Graeme Montgomery's inclusion saw Andy Yiadom drop to the bench as did Charlie Wassmer for the returning Tom Cadmore.

It was to take Hayes & Yeading just 57 seconds to open the scoring when Michael Malcolm controlled the ball 25 yards from goal and spread it left the Montgomery, his teasing first time cross being met six yards out by Jake Hyde who fired home his first Conference goal for the Club.

Sadly the lead lasted all of two minutes as Mansfield's Adam Smith was allowed too much time to collect a Paul Connor flick-on in the right corner of the box, he swept past Tom Cadmore before firing high past Niki-Lee Bulmer into the roof of the United net.

Both sides started to settle down after the initial blasts with Montgomery testing Kevin Pilkington in the Stags goal on 11 minutes as he ran onto a Hyde pass. Minutes later at the other end Bulmer had to be sharp when a deflected Connor shot saw him going the wrong way, he was however able to adjust and got a fingertip to the ball, taking it wide of the post.

Minutes later it was the home side's last ditch defending that kept them level. Montgomery's cross to the far post was met on the volley by Malcolm, his effort was blocked into the air whereby Bradley Pritchard bounced a shot that Pilkington blocked into the air, Hyde got his head to the ball but Kevin Sandwith was able to clear with an overhead goal-line clearance.

Connor again tested Bulmer with an angled shot that the United stopper parried allowing Adam Bygrave to clear. Just before the half hour mark it was advantage United once more. A quickly taken Ferrell throw to Malcolm saw him set Peter Holmes whose drive from 20 yards was tipped over by Pilkington. The resultant Montgomery corner being met at the far post by Ferrell (grounded left) who headed home his first goal for the Club.

An almost identical corner just three minutes later saw Holmes rise highest but he didn't get enough purchase on his header and it drifted wide of the target in what was effectively the last chance of the half.

Ten minutes into the second half United went so close to extending their lead when Holmes flicked a Green throw between two defenders for Montgomery to run onto, his shot across Pilkington coming back off the inside of the post and coming all the way back across the face of goal.

After this scare the home side seemed to up their game and it was soon the woodwork to the rescue for United when Smith's cross from the left was met by a stooping Connor, Bulmer touching the ball onto the upright with Green clearing the loose ball from in front of his own net.

A couple of minutes later Stags substitute Danny Mitchely tried to squeeze between two United defenders but Bulmer was quickly off his line to grasp the ball at his feet despite the home players protesting that they should have been awarded a penalty.

Stags second substitution on 64 minutes was to prove United's undoing as Luke Medley was to cause all sorts of problems for the United defence starting just minutes after his arrival when Green had to throw himself in front of his shot to protect his goal.

Despite the home sides possessional advantage during the second period, Pritchard had a great chance on 73 minutes to increase the lead as he beat the offside calls to collect a Jamie Hand chip into the box, he controlled the ball but Pilkington was quickly off his line to block away the final shot.

Then just five minutes later the scores were level. Medley received the ball in the right channel, his shot was deflected by Green and as luck would have it for the home side it went straight to Connor he stooped to head past Bulmer from close range.

And just four minutes later it was curtains for the visitors when Medley received the ball on the right touchline, he held off the attentions of Cadmore before making his way horizontally across the edge of the area before pulling the trigger and beating Bulmer with a rocket inside the near post.

The final chance fell again to the home side when Smith drove a 25 yard free-kick wide of the post as United fell to a fifth consecutive League defeat which leaves them anchored in 23rd place.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Graeme Montgomery.