The first day of December was to be a bad day at the office for Hayes & Yeading United as AFC Hornchurch came to Kingfield and deservedly returned to Essex with the three points courtesy of a 3-1 victory.
Manager Nas Bashir made two changes to his previous starting line-ups as Tom Cadmore and John Goddard returned with Pelé and Mark Bentley dropping down to the United bench.
Things started badly for United as the visitors took the lead in just the fifth minute. Brandon Hall's short goal-kick was played behind Dan Spence, the full-back had little option but to return the ball to his keeper. Hall's weak clearance was headed straight back by Tambeson Eyong to Lewis Smith who duly pulled the ball back to his strike partner Leon McKenzie who slid the ball past Hall.
Within seconds it could have got worse as Yassin Moutaouakil's pass put Calum Butcher under pressure, his pocket was picked by Smith who worked free for a shot from the edge of the area that Hall got down well to gather.
Still the visitors had control of proceedings and really should have scored again after ten minutes, Duran Reynolds arriving undetected at the far post to meet a Andy Tomlinson corner but he headed wide of the target.
Five minutes later though the lead was doubled when Frankie Curley took advantage of a part blocked shot and as the ball dropped he planted it firmly into the top corner of Hall's net giving the young United keeper no chance.
Even this still didn't seem to really awaken United and it was not until the 31st minute that a recordable chance came the way of the home side, Kudus Oyenuga collecting a throw-in and trying his luck from 25 yards but he was well wide of the target and that was it really for the first half.
An early United chance in the second half saw Dan Spence slip the ball inside to John Goddard, his dipping 20 yard effort just clearing the Hornchurch goal.
On 56 minutes it could have got even worse for the home side though as a Tomlinson corner found it's way via a couple of deflections to Rimmel Daniel but his shot from 12 yards was blocked by Butcher inside the six yard box before being hacked clear.
United started to move forwards a little more as the hour approached and after a Moutaouakil centre found Luke Williams who saw his shot blocked, a minute later United were back in the game with the best goal of the game. Moutaouakil was again the instigator, an exchange of passes with Williams saw the full-back whip in a cross that was met by Tobi Joseph who guided his header superbly into the far corner beyond the reach of Joe Woolley in the Hornchurch goal.
Unfortunately this was not to be the catalyst for a United recovery that was hoped for by the sparse home crowd, in fact the next notable activity at either end was in stoppage time. United came close to a leveller one minute into the three minutes of additional time as Moutaouakil crossed to Joseph once more, the young striker brought down the ball but couldn't extract it from the feet around him and his shot was saved by Woolley. The Hornchurch keeper playing the ball swiftly downfield where it was collected by McKenzie who proceeded to beat Hall into the bottom corner to wrap up the victory for his side.
The first day of December was to be a bad day at the office for Hayes & Yeading United as AFC Hornchurch came to Kingfield and deservedly returned to Essex with the three points courtesy of a 3-1 victory. 
Duran Reynolds 
