Hayes & Yeading broke the run of defeats in the rain at Kingfield but an all too familiar second half performance saw three points become one as the Magpies netted an equaliser with minutes remaining on referee Fitch's watch.
The game was slow to get going on the heavy playing surface after all the recent inclement weather but United did forge ahead in the 13th minute. A grounded Kudus Oyenuga managed to toe the ball into Daniel Wishart's run and as the wide man made his way into the area he was sent tumbling by Bobby Behzadi and referee Fitch pointed straight to the spot. Oyenuga stepped up and coolly sent keeper Jesse Joronen the wrong way.
With the rain pouring and the ground cutting up chances were to be at a premium for the whole of the game. Josh Ekim came to United's rescue in the 21st minute, hacking the ball off the line after Brandon Hall had spilled a Chris Flood header.
Oyenuga got a flick header to a Wishart centre on the half hour but his effort was wayward and minutes later Joe Tabiri's cross for the visiting Magpies was punched out by Hall but only as far as Magpies skipper Daniel Brown, his half volley going wide of the upright, this being the last effort near goal in the half.
The 53rd minute saw a flurry of openings come the way of the visitors. Alex Wall dragged down a chip into the area only for his shot to be blocked away by Tom Cadmore. The resultant corner was pushed away from under his crossbar by Hall for another corner kick, this one from the opposite side being met by Alfie Mawson who headed wide of the United goal.
With the home side showing very little going forwards, the Magpies continued to push for an equaliser. Tabiri glanced a header wide of the upright before David Pratt twice had the ball in the United net within four minutes, each time the visiting striker being denied by a raised offside flag on the far side.
In fact United's only real noteworthy attempt of the second period came on 79 minutes when Tobi Joseph fed substitute Dan Spence, the full-back playing from midfield cut inside and was about to shoot when Joseph took over and fired a shot through Patrick Kanyuka's legs that Joronen dealt with comfortably.
The killer blow for the home side came in the 89th minute when the Magpies deservedly pulled level. A Harry Pritchard free-kick was played deep into the United area to where keeper Joronen had gone forwards, the ball was not cleared and as it bounced about in the six yard box Reece Tison-Lascaris hooked it home from a yard just before Joronen could.
Hayes & Yeading broke the run of defeats in the rain at Kingfield but an all too familiar second half performance saw three points become one as the Magpies netted an equaliser with minutes remaining on referee Fitch's watch.
