Hayes & Yeading's participation in cup competition this season was ended Saturday when for the third time this season United bowed out at the first attempt, on this occasion from the FA Trophy losing to Blue Square South side Hampton & Richmond Borough for the second time in just 8 days.

The game started very slowly and all the two keepers had to worry about in the opening 25 minutes was keeping warm as the nearest either side came to causing alarm was a low cross from each that went flying across the six yard boxes untouched.

United then had a minor scare when Beavers early substitute Tom Hickey worked space on the left corner of the area and curled a shot towards the far post, keeper James Beasant diving full stretch but the ball evaded his touch and thankfully the far corner also.

The final ten minutes of the half saw United start to dominate and the home side were thankful for wasteful finishing from the visitors which kept the scoresheet blank. Toby Ajala saw a weak shot from 12 yards held by Beavers keeper Craig Ross after good work from Louie Soares who had burst between two defenders. Two minutes later a Soares free-kick played to the near post was met by the on-coming Pierre Joseph-Dubois but his bullet header went wide of the upright with Ross static on his line.

One minute remained in the half and Soares again forced his way into the Hampton box before pulling the ball back to Tom Collins who saw his goalbound effort flick over off the well placed head of Karle Andrews. Stoppage time saw another opening for Joseph-Dubois but he had to reach back to connect with Luke Williams cross and his header was again off target.

United continued in the ascendancy after the break and just three minutes in Ajala played a nice ball that put Collins through on goal, a moments hesitancy however gave centre-back Dean Inman the chance to slide in and take the ball off his toes before he could get a shot away.

Hampton's Dave Tarpey fired a free-kick from the edge of the area past the wall and the post before on 55 minutes, Ajala was caught in possession on halfway and the ball was played quickly through to Tarpey who advanced into the United area and slide the ball past Beasant's dive to give the home side the lead.

United did have the ball in the net seven minutes later when Joseph-Dubois volleyed home a Tom Cadmore overhead kick at the far post only to be denied by the raised flag of the assistant on the far side.

Four minutes later the United midfield were again caught pondering in midfield, this time Dwane Lee, and in similar fashion to just about 11 minutes earlier, the Beavers swiftly moved upfield with James Simmonds racing into the United area, Beasant made a fine save to deny him but the loose ball went straight to Tarpey who had the simple task of netting his second of the game.

Three minutes later Williams came close to pulling one back for United as Mo Bettamer won possession and fed the United playmaker who made room for a shot that only just cleared Ross's crossbar. In similar fashion at the other end, Tarpey was just inches away from completing his hat-trick when his far post curler was just too high.

Beasant was on hand in the last ten minutes to prevent a third for the Beavers when he was smartly off his line to block away a shot from former United man Joel Ledgister and United finally forced a "real" save from Ross in the Hampton goal in the 84th minute when Williams and Bettamer combined to set up a chance for Joseph-Dubois that Ross did well to push away to safety.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Louie Soares.

Highlights courtesy of FC Video here.