High flying Cambridge United proved too much for Hayes & Yeading as the visitors fired themselves into the 1st Round of the FA Cup with clinical finishing that United just could not match.

Manager Nas Bashir was deprived of the services of skipper Mark Bentley, serving a one match ban for 5 cautions, and loanee 'keeper Steve Arnold who was not permitted to play by his parent club Wycombe Wanderers.

The early stages of the game saw the visiting U's having the bulk of possession and on 12 minutes a deep centre was headed down by Michael Gash to Luke Berry whose slip at the point of contact with the ball allowed stand-in skipper Curtis Ujah to clear. Another slip two minutes later, this time by Diak John, allowed Ashley Carew a free run at goal but he fired into the side netting with just Delroy Preddie to beat.

The 22nd minute saw another chance for the U's as a weak Sam Argent pass was picked off by Berry who moved upfield before feeding Gash who saw his curling 20 yard effort just clear Preddie's crossbar. Seconds later Hayes & Yeading finally gave the U's defence something to think about when Luke Williams controlled a high pass and found Louie Soares, United's top scorer forcing Danny Naisbitt in the visitors goal to push his shot away diving to his right.

The U's went close again on 25 minutes when Berry met a Carew cross but headed straight into Preddie's arms and four minutes later the deadlock was broken, but not where you would have expected on the balance of play. Carew was penalised for handball two yards outside his own area, Ryan Crockford stepped up and, in almost identical fashion to the opening day, curled the ball around the wall and just inside the near post.

Sadly for United the lead last just a couple of minutes as a quick break on the right by Carew saw him move past John before hitting a low centre that Gash nudged on to Berry who had the simple task of tapping it into the unguarded United net.

With things all square once again in the scoring department it was the home side who started to press for another. Soares free-kick from the left saw Ujah in space but the ball was inches too high when the merest of touches would have seen the ball hit Naisbitt's net.

As the break approached it was still United who looked the more likely to score, Williams collected a neat chest down by Richard Pacquette but having switched back to his right foot, the shot was too high from just inside the area.

Minutes later a goal came, again against the run of play at the time. A long ball from the back saw Carew move past John as if he was not there before firing across the unprotected Preddie into the far corner of the Hayes & Yeading net to give the U's the edge at the break.

The pre half-time blow was made worse less than 40 seconds into the second half when Berry notched his second for the U's. Carew superbly brought a crossfield pass under control on the right before again racing past John and hitting a low centre that was left by all and sundry for Berry to ram home from beyond the far post.

Bashir's side continued to push upfield as the game continued at pace. Williams and Soares combined on the left with the latter moving into the box and firing a shot across Naisbitt that went wide of the far post. Minutes later a Crockford corner picked out an unmarked Pacquette at the far post but he headed wide of the target.

Just before the hour mark Barry and Carew caused mayhem in the United defence once again. Harrison Dunk's cross from the left was collected by Berry who saw his shot cannon back off the face of the crossbar to Carew who hit a drive that was heading for the top corner but for Tom Cadmore's headed interception. The other side of the hour it was United who went close as Hector Mackie and Williams exchanged passes before finding Crockford, his little back heel fell to Tom Collins who saw his shot charged down by Rory McAuley and the ball span away wide.

The final ten minutes arrived and the goal tally was to double as virtually every shot seemed to hit the back of the net. First to notch was the U's Carew who collected a pass from Ryan Charles, took aim and fired a stinging shot from 20 yards that flew past Preddie.

United still pressed forwards and two United substitutes combined as Pierre Joseph-Dubois fed Daniel Wishart who watched as his dipping 20 yard effort was tipped over by Naisbitt. Number five for the U's was only minutes away though as Charles found Dunk on the left side, his cut back providing U's substitute Jordan Patrick with a first touch tap in.

Two minutes later United reduced the arrears when Soares was tripped in the area and referee Barratt awarded a spot kick. Soares dusted himself down and sent Naisbitt the wrong way from twelve yards notching his tenth of the season.

The scoring had not finished there though as a stoppage time strike from the U's came when a neat step over allowed Charles through against a woefully exposed Preddie and he duly rounded off a bad day at the office for Nas Bashir's side.



Report by Kevin Watts.



Photos by Ray Peploe.



United Man of the Match: Luke Williams.



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