Hayes & Yeading boss Nas Bashir made a single forced change to his starting line-up in Dorset as Mark Bentley returned from suspension in place of Jamie Hand who had picked up an injury. One new face was included, that being newly arrived Australian striker Kym Harris. Lining up for Dorchester was former United defender Neil Martin who played at left-back for United the last time the two sides met at Avenue Park in 2008.

From a United perspective the first half was definitely forgettable as very little was created by the visiting side, in fact very little was created by either side and those chances that did come gave little of no action to either keeper.

The Magpies did create a decent opening in the seventh minute though as a looping Ashley Nicholls centre was knocked down by Richard Logan to a waiting Ben Watson, his volley being well blocked at point blank range just outside the six yard box by Adam Bygrave's intervention.

Ten minutes later Watson worked the ball inside from the wing to Jamie Gleeson who saw his 20 yard effort curl wide of Brandon Hall's far post. Still the minimal openings were going to the home side as we reached the halfway mark in the first period. Jake Gosling picked out Logan in the right channel, his chip to Sam Malsom at the far post being volleyed just too high by the Magpies winger.

On 26 minutes the deadlock was broken in unfortunate circumstances for Pelé, the United defender slicing a low Watson cross into the roof of his own net to give the Magpies the lead.

United's only real strikes at goal came minutes later when a grounded Daniel Wishart managed to poke the ball to Josh Ekim, his initial shot was blocked back to Tom Cadmore who hit a fierce drive from 35 yards but this cleared the Magpies crossbar without troubling veteran keeper Jason Matthews.

Ten minutes into the second half United gave an almighty scare to the home side. Jamal Lowe, who had replaced the injured Mark Bentley in first half stoppage time, and Wishart caused problems on the left side of the box, and when the ball was cleared as far as Kudus Oyenuga, he brought the ball under control and advanced to the edge of the box before hitting a low shot that was inches wide of Matthews' far post.

The home side were soon back in the ascendancy though. Hall gathered a 20 yard Malsom effort before Logan and Watson exchanged passes with the former striking his shot wide from 18 yards out.

With just over an hour played, Wishart chased what appeared to be a lost cause to the bye-line, having kept the ball in play he picked out Ekim who in turn found Oyenuga but he was quickly closed down and his shot was blocked and then cleared to safety.

The Magpies continued to push for a second goal, Malsom latched onto an Ashley Nicholls pass, lofted the ball over Daniel Brathwaite's challenge and volleyed straight into Hall's waiting arms. Two minutes later a ball over the top by Logan found an on-side Watson, under pressure from Bygrave he got his shot away but Hall did well to block the ball away with an outstretched leg.

Jake Gosling, Logan and Watson then combined, the latter firing into Hall's arms from a tight angle but within seconds of the ball being cleared it was back with Watson who ran onto a Nicholls thoughball on the left side of the United area and coolly slotted the ball past Hall into the far corner to double the Magpies lead.

Just three minutes later United had a lifeline. Sam Cox fed the ball to Dan Spence who sent the ball forwards to Lowe who beat the on-coming Matthews to the ball. His attempted lob going through the keepers arms and the young striker kept his cool, regained control of the ball, turned and rolled it ball past the defender on the line (top right).

With 90 minutes played it looked like United were to be denied an equaliser by the woodwork, Bygrave seeing his header from Brathwaite's corner come crashing back off the face of the crossbar before being hacked to safety by the Magpies defence (above left).

This was not to be United's last chance though as a long ball up by Pelé was flicked on by substitute Kym Harris, Calum Butcher challenged for the loose ball and it ran to Lowe, the teenaged striker showing excellent control to take it around Matthews and slide it into the net (above right) to give United a point that seemed miles away just 13 minutes earlier.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Video stills by FC Video.

United Man of the Match: Jamal Lowe.