Hayes & Yeading's first Blue Square Bet South campaign in four years kicked off with a hard fought point at the Woodspring Stadium on Saturday against Weston-super-Mare in a game that saw both sides reduced to ten men by the final whistle.

Nas Bashir's side started brightly and thought they had taken the lead in the sixth minute when good link up play from new skipper Sam Cox and Jerome Anderson created an opening for new striker Kudus Oyenuga, the former Spurs man taking a touch before firing past Weston keeper Lloyd Irish from 20 yards only for his effort to come back off the post. Although the rebounding ball fell to John Goddard, he could not set himself quick enough due to the pace of the shot and his effort looped away to safety.

With United playing the ball around well it was somewhat against the run of play when just three minutes later they went behind. Tom Cadmore appeared to be fouled right in front of an assistant referee but play was allowed to continue despite United's protests. Chris Young made the most of it by firing a low cross that just evaded Pelé's outstretched leg and fell nicely to Weston's Kane Ingram who struck it past his namesake Matt in the United goal from eight yards.

United were to continue to see more of the ball but the hosts no nonsense tackling and quick closing down were stopping our play from finding any fluency while at the other end long balls up to man mountain Chas Hemmings were also causing problems at the back for Nas's side.

Just past the quarter hour mark United did almost pull the game level, Anderson made space for himself on the right wing, his cross come shot forcing an acrobatic tip over by Irish in the home side's goal. In the 23rd minute Ingram could have grabbed himself a second when he headed wide under pressure from Dan Spence at the far post.

Ten minutes remained to the break and United started to push forwards more and more in search of an equaliser. Goddard and Anderson exchanged passes with the former trying a deft chip towards the top corner that only just cleared Irish's crossbar. A couple of minutes later United went closer when Luke Williams played a low free-kick to Oyenuga, his smart turn allowed him a shot that was well turned around the post by Irish, with a goal-kick being awarded even though the keeper readied himself to defend a corner!

United were not to be denied though and just 60 seconds later the game was brought level. Daniel Wishart provided the spark with a forceful forwards run from left-back, he fed Goddard who collected the ball on the left bye-line before picking out Oyenuga eight yards from goal (pictured right), he shimmied past his marker before planting the ball just inside Irish's near post for his first competitive goal in United colours.

The second half was to be not so action filled, unless you count two red cards neither of which would possibly have been shown had it not been opening day. Oyenuga almost netted his second just two minutes into the half, the impressive Anderson was the provider again but Irish was firmly behind his well hit drive.

Exactly on the hour mark United's new loanee keeper showed a touch of class when a ball from the left from Nat Pepperell found Hemmings in the centre, his powerful shot being pushed over at full stretch by the young Wycombe keeper.

A minute later United were in the driving seat with a man advantage. Wishart burst away from Weston skipper Ben Kirk on the left only to be crudely tripped from behind with no attempt to get the ball, a foul that on many days would attract a yellow saw referee Mr Wood pull out a straight red card, much to the home fans disgust.

Shortly afterwards, Wishart almost undid the home defence from range, his 25 yard shot just clearing the hosts goal. Twenty minutes remained and with the man advantage it was not surprising that the pressure was all coming from the visitors, a short Luke Williams corner to Goddard set up a shooting opportunity that saw the ball deflected into the air, Oyenuga being the recipient but his overhead effort was just wide of the target.

Nas then changed things by bringing on forwards Manny Williams and Tobi Joseph, a plan that was to backfire within six minutes as Williams first action was to be cautioned for a high tackle and minutes later, having tried to retrieve a poor Spence pass, he clipped a Weston player who had got to the ball first and was promptly shown a second yellow and dismissed by Mr Wood, again on another day it may have just earned a final warning.

Despite United holding most of the possession for the remaining 15 minutes the only noteworthy chance actually came from the visitors. A long ball up the right flicked off an outstretched Cadmore boot and ran to Pepperell, thankfully for United he showed no composure and blasted the ball into the stands and it was to be a point apiece to start the long campaign that is 2012/13.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Tom Cadmore.