Hayes & Yeading‘s under 18 side succumbed to a first Ryman Youth League defeat of the season as a superb fight-back by neighbours Wealdstone saw them recover from two goals down to take all three points in the final 25 minutes at Farm Park on Monday evening.

The game could not have started better for United though as having already seen Leonel Da Goma smash the ball off the Stones crossbar in the fifth minute, Hayes & Yeading took the lead on 8 minutes. Max Hubbard played the ball left to Isaac Osei-Tutu, the winger cut back inside and hit a shot that beat Stones keeper Ryan Mondiwa but came back off the far post to Aristede Bassele who calmly fired home from 15 yards out.

The 14th minute saw the first real threat from the visitors as Sam Nair broke away down the right flank, outstripping the defensive cover in the shape of Adam Butler before hitting a shot across the six yard box and out for a throw-in.

Minutes later United had a great chance to double the lead when Aaron Harriott was put through on goal, Mondiwa pushed out his initial effort and having recovered the ball with the keeper stranded, a superb block by Stones skipper Joe Kazer denied the United striker at the second attempt.

Just past the half hour mark United received another warning when Nair found space between the centre-backs and tried to lob Luke Daley who was off his line, the United stopper needing all his height to reach up and pluck the ball from the air.

Hubbard then fired another free-kick into the Stones area, Bassele’s flick almost wrong footing Mondiwa but the keeper did extremely well to change his direction and grab hold of the shot right on the line. In first half stoppage time Harriott found Bassele on the right of the box, he drew Mondiwa to him and fired past his dive only for the ball to be cleared off the line to Elliott Legg who fired over from 20 yards.

Ten minutes into the second half Osei-Tutu hit a shot from 18 yards that Mondiwa fielded comfortably fielded and then United had a real scare at the other end as a free-kick into the box was met acrobatically by George Lavender, his overhead effort coming back off the base of the post to Calvin Kasirye who blasted over a gaping goal from 6 yards.

Five minutes later it was the home side who had a slice of luck which led to a doubling of the lead. Andrew Dean hit a first time cross from the left that looked to be heading over Mondiwa into the far corner, the Stones keeper managed to claw the ball out but only as far as Harriett as he bundled the ball home from close range.

United maybe started to relax a little too soon having found the net as just four minutes later a straight ball up the field found Nair and he coolly lofted the ball over the advancing Daley to cut the deficit.

Osei-Tutu should have reinstated United’s two goal advantage on 73 minutes when he pulled down a poor Mondiwa clearance and advanced into the area before hitting his shot straight at the Stones keeper who saved with his feet.

This near miss really fired up the visitors and just two minutes later they were level as Oliver Sprague collected the ball inside the United area and hit a drive at the near post that Daley appeared to fumble into the net.

Chances to break the deadlock were at a real premium until the fourth minute of stoppage time when Matt Cooper was given far too much room to run at the defence and he fired past Daley and just inside the far post to give his side what had seemed an unlikely victory just 30 minutes earlier.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Leonel Da Goma.