Hayes & Yeading United’s normal flowing passing game seemed to go missing at Kingfield on Saturday as the visiting Kidderminster Harriers side took control for large parts of the game although it did need two late strikes against United's ten men for them to take all three points.

Nas Bashir gave two more debuts in this fixture, Carl Pentney who arrived during the week on loan from Colchester United, took over the gloves becoming the fifth keeper to do so for United in the five games against Kiddy thus far. Also thrown in was new arrival from the Glenn Hoddle Academy, James Folkes, who came in for Pierre Joseph-Dubois.

It was really to be a first half that the visitors dominated and Pentney had to be alert within the opening ten minutes when a Folkes clearance ricocheted to Lee Vaughan who saw his shot bound for the top corner being tipped away by the United keeper. Minutes later Jamille Matt and Mickey Demetriou combined on the left with the latter's swinging centre being met by the head of Dave Hankin but his effort was just the wrong side of the upright.

A scramble in the United area minutes later had the visitors appealing vigorously for a penalty but referee Hopkins saw no offence and the ball was cleared. Just before the half hour mark though the ball was on the spot in controversial fashion. Matt turned past Mark Bentley on the edge of the area and ran into Curtis Ujah before hitting the floor, Mr Hopkins deciding this time it was a penalty. Lee Vaughan stepped up and at the eighth time of asking a United keeper was finally beaten from the spot.

Four minutes later Dave Bird headed wide after running onto a Vaughan centre and that was really the last of the chances for the first 45 minutes.

The second half was to prove a lot more positive in terms of attacking play from the home side, ironically things started to improve following the 59 minute dismissal of Dwane Lee for a second caution.

The half actually started as the first had progressed, with the Harriers in the ascendancy. Bird fired in a 30 yard free-kick that Pentney did well to save at the foot of his post. United's first real surge forwards on 52 minutes saw Lloyd Owusu lay the ball off to Luke Williams only for his unusually heavy touch to take the ball within the reach of keeper Tony Breedon who gathered easily.

Bird turned Tom Cadmore and hit a shot across goal and wide of the far post and then five minutes later United were reduced to ten men as Lee was sent packing by referee Hopkins for a late trip having already been cautioned previously.

This seemed to stir United and six minutes later the scores were level. United won a free-kick 30 yards from the Kidderminster goal, Cadmore stepped up from his unaccustomed left-back position and hit a shot that with the aid of a deflection off the wall ended up nestling in the bottom corner of Breedon's net (pictured right).

Two minutes later Breedon saved his side from going behind as Sam Argent's cross was only cleared as far as Williams who took a touch and hit a shot that was palmed away by the Harriers stopper before being cleared upfield.

A quick break by the visitors on 71 minutes saw the United defence caught square appealing for offside as Matt raced to the bye-line and cut the ball back to the arriving Callum Gittings who smashed the ball into the roof of the United net to restore their advantage.

Two minutes later a long ball from United was chased to the side of his area by Breedon who clearly grabbed the ball outside the box but despite ferocious appeals from the United players and bench alike referee Hopkins waved for play to continue.

Owusu knocked the ball into Louie Soares run but Breedon was equal to his 20 yard shot and then with a couple of minutes left to play the game was "put away" by Gittings as he moved into the area and slid the ball under Pentney's dive to give the visitors what in all honesty was a deserved three points.

Pentney was called on in stoppage time and did well to push away substitute Marc Williams shot with Cadmore managing to get the loose ball away despite being on the ground at the time.

Report by Kevin Watts.





Photos by Ray Peploe.





United Man of the Match: Louie Soares.





Highlights courtesy of FC Video here.