Hayes & Yeading continued their unbeaten start to 2013 but it took a late Adam Bygrave equaliser for United to avoid defeat against a resolute Bath City side on a heavy pitch at Kingfield.

Nas Bashir made several changes to the starting line-up that faced Weston-super-Mare two weeks earlier. At the back, Pelé returned from suspension in place of Calum Butcher, Luke Williams returned from injury in place of Josh Ekim in midfield while the front two of Kudus Oyenuga and Jamal Lowe were replaced by Alasanne N’Diaye and Daniel Wishart.

With a heavy bumpy pitch the order of the day, chances were somewhat limited in the first half. After 12 minutes though Brandon Hall had to be alert when Chris Allen fired in a cross from the right to Josh Low in the centre, his volley being well held by the diving United keeper.

Five minutes later it was the Romans stopper Jason Mellor who was called into action as Alasanne N’Diaye poked the ball through to Daniel Wishart, the Bath keeper winning a perfectly timed tackle on the edge of the box that if mistimed could have seen him take an early bath.

On the half hour mark the Romans were to take the lead. Former United midfielder Marc Canham picking out the towering Mark Preece who powered his header into the United net off the underside of the crossbar.

United could have been level just four minutes later when a neat Wishart back-hell put N’Diaye through, Mellor spreading himself well to block the ball away for a corner.

Minutes before the break it could have got worse for United as Allen was given space in the box, his angled shot from the left side beating Hall but going over off the United crossbar.

United started the second half with John Goddard replacing the injured Tom Cadmore and it was the hosts who were quickest out of the blocks, Dan Spence broke away on the right and his deep cross was met by Wishart but his header went just the wrong side of the Bath bar.

Hall comfortably held onto a 20 yard Low shot before a defence splitting throughball by Wishart saw Goddard advance but he was outnumbered by Mellor and Gethin Jones and the ball was bundled away to safety.

Just before the hour mark it was all square. Goddard collected the ball in midfield and threaded it through to N’Diaye who took a touch and confidently placed his shot wide of Mellor into the far side of the Romans goal.

Within two minutes United should really have been behind again, Low took advantage of a defensive slip to move inside from the right, beat two more tackles and with Hall in front of him decided to lay the ball off to Adam Connolly who found the net only to be flagged offside.

This was only a temporary reprieve for United though as Bath re-took the lead in the 68th minute. Some credit for the Romans goal must go to referee Mr Sannerude who played an excellent advantage when a foul was committed in the middle of the park as Canham picked up the ball and fired a perfect throughball that Low raced onto before sliding the ball perfectly past the diving Hall.

Very little in the way of chances came from this point on as the heavy pitch and Bath’s defensive stance saw the play staying in the middle of the field.

The two real chances that came were for the home side. Jamie Hand saw a 74th minute free-kick curl around the wall and just fail to find the bottom corner and then with just two minutes of normal time remaining United levelled. Hand fired in another free-kick that was totally misjudged by Mellor, the ball sailing over his attempted punch to a gaggle of United players at the far post, the ball being touched back into the centre where Adam Bygrave reacted quickest to fire home his second in consecutive games.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Adam Bygrave.

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