An entertaining cup tie in Enfield saw Hayes & Yeading United progress to the next round of the Middlesex Senior Cup winning by the odd goal in five.
The ground was frosty and the air freezing cold, but the football match on show kept the 95-strong crowd entertained as a brisk pace was maintained for long periods of the game. In fact, there was drama very early on as John Goddard pushed Neil Johnston in the penalty area whilst contesting a high ball and a spot kick was awarded. Bryan Hammatt stepped up and hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Adam Wallace soon almost doubled the lead as he latched onto Mitch Hahn’s throughball and rifled his shot into the side netting.
It was United to score next however, with a superb long range drive from Calum Butcher, who fooled the Enfield Town defence who were lining up expecting a shot or cross from Goddard’s free kick, not anticipating a long square pass to the former Tottenham Hotspur defender who rifled a 30 yard piledriver into the net off the post.
The visitors settled with that goal and really got into their stride. Daniel Wishart and Yassin Moutaouakil combined on the left, the latter crossing for Alassane N’Diaye to flick on to Jerome Anderson, whose shot was initially fumbled and then bravely gathered in by Town goalkeeper James Chalk.
Minutes later, Chalk shanked a clearance straight to Goddard who fed Wishart in on the left channel. The winger cut the ball back to Goddard who probed again with a pass to N’Diaye, but his shot hit the side netting. N’Diaye went closer with a powerful volley from Wishart’s knock down, but Lee Allen deflected it wide with a desperate lunge.
The hosts almost hit United on the break as Wallace hit a looping shot onto the top of the crossbar and over. However, United were quick to break down the other end and again, Butcher was involved, sending in a low cross which Oyenuga converted to put the away side 2-1 up.
Again, Anderson got on the end of a Moutaouakil cross after more good work from Wishart, but after an initial fumble, Chalk gathered in the loose ball. Chalk then demonstrated better handling from a deflected Goddard free kick. He also saved from Anderson when his shot deflected off Lee White and looked like sneaking into the far post, getting down well to tip the ball wide. From the resulting corner, he was powerless to stop Dave Kendall’s misplaced header from going into his own net, but thankfully for him, Allen was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
After such a forceful first half display from United, it was with some surprise that a straightforward long ball out of defence from substitute Craig McKay led to Enfield Town’s equaliser, Wallace latching onto the ball and firing in underneath the advancing James Beasant.
United did gradually assume control once more, as N’Diaye’s last involvement in the game was a header over the bar from a good position as Wishart floated a cross over.
With twenty minutes remaining, United restored their lead. Oyenuga found Wishart in space and he was able to outpace McKay and cut the ball back for Josh Ekim who ghosted into the penalty area and fired a shot in at the near post.
Enfield Town’s best spell arrived as the game entered its latter stages and a few times, they came close to equalizing and sending the game into penalties. Hahn was wide with a long range effort and a superb double save by Beasant from substitute Liam Hope was seemingly in vain as the ball landed at the forward’s feet for a third time, only he scooped the ball over the prostrate Beasant but also over the bar.
United responded as sub Tobi Joseph hit a rising shot goalwards from Wishart’s lay off but Chalk made a straightforward save.
And with time running out, it seemed that the hosts had found a late equaliser, but Hope had punched the ball past Beasant and into the goal, and the goal was rightly chalked off.
United comfortably played out the remainder of the game and earned a home tie with Uxbridge in the next round.
Report by Nick Bell.
United Man of the Match: Calum Butcher.
Tom Cadmore
