Hayes & Yeading still need a single point to reach guaranteed safety as joint Managers Tristan Lewis and Delroy Preddie suffered defeat for the first time since taking charge, against a very good Sutton United side at Gander Green Lane.

The management kept the same starting XI that had demolished Bromley just five days previous but it was the hosts who started off quicker with former United trialist Craig Dundas twice being denied in quick succession by Milan Stojsavljevic in the United goal.

With 14 minutes played United took a surprise lead when Daniel Wishart broke away from Elliot Wheeler on the left, his cross appeared to be too near the goalkeeper only for the ball to strike the post and fall perfectly to top scorer Kudus Oyenuga who guided the ball past former United loanee Sam Rents on the line.

Sadly this was not to be a repeat of the previous game, although two further goals did come in quick succession unfortunately both came from the home side and indeed both from the same player, Marvin Williams. The lively forward burst through on the right side to bag his first, then on the left for his second, both times sliding the ball wide of the unprotected Stojsavljevic’s dive.

The U’s continued to dominate proceedings and after Stojsavljevic had held a James Folkes volley and Simon Downer had just been too high with a header, both from Rents corners, the U’s scored again. This time it was from a free-kick that saw Dundas rise highest to power home a header.

United’s only other effort of note in the first half being an audacious Oyenuga free-kick from fully 30 yards that having had the sting taken off it by the wall, was swept up comfortably by Tom Lovelock in the U’s goal.

The second half didn’t really get much better as just eight minutes in Downer rose at the near post to head a corner into the top corner of the United net. On the hour it was almost five as Williams raced into the United area, his attempt to slide the ball under Stojsavljevic succeeded but the keepers touch took the power off the ball and Osei Sankofa was able to clear off the line for a corner. The corner again finding the head of Downer but this time his effort was too high.

The 68th minute saw United have a clean strike at goal for the one and only time in the half when John Goddard helped the ball on to Oyenuga, the striker taking a few paces before hitting a drive that just cleared Lovelock’s goal.

Sutton’s fifth came 8 minutes from the end when a trip just inside the area saw referee Busby point to the spot. Dundas stepped up and despite Stojsavljevic guessing correctly the ball was too firmly hit and it shot into the bottom corner.

It could have been worse in stoppage time when U’s substitute Kevant Serbonij hit a 25 yard drive from the left channel that courtesy of a defensive deflection struck the side netting outside Stojsavljevic’s goal.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: John Goddard.