Hayes & Yeading got their first points of the season at Kingfield as Dean Holdsworth's Chelmsford City were soundly beaten by four goals to nil in a game that saw a first half red card for former Hayes FC and Yeading FC striker Jeff Goulding. The game also marked the first back-to-back clean sheets for United since victories over Wrexham and Mansfield Town in April 2011.

Phil Babb made one enforced change to his starting line-up with Marlon Patterson coming in for his United debut in place of the suspended Adam Everitt while fit again skipper Luke Williams took Patterson's place on the United bench.

The game started slowly with both sides sizing each other up in the opening fifteen minutes with the only effort towards goal being a 20 yard Jack Mills drive that flew over the bar after he had been set up by some tenacious work at the corner flag by Seb Schoburgh.

Minutes later a Mills free-kick from the centre circle picked out Tom Bird on the left, he brought the ball quickly under control and moved past defender Ben Sampayo before picking out Dean Inman on the edge of the box, his sliced shot headed for Jake Reid at the far post but he was denied by a raised offside flag.

The clearest opening thus far came on 25 minutes, again for United as Mills chip to the far post found a stretching Schoburgh who volleyed inches over the Chelmsford crossbar. Inman soon collected another corner and fired wide before on 33 minutes the visitors finally created something of their own when the ball was sprayed left to Bagashan Graham, he held the ball well and fed it inside to Jeff Goulding who saw his shot from 25 yards fly wide of the far post.

United finally took a deserved lead on 37 minutes. Bird's inswinging corner picked out an arriving Inman at the far post and he headed home his second of the season from just inside the six yard box (pictured right).

A minute before the break the visitors were under more pressure when a rash tackle on Frankie Merrifield by Goulding, who had already been cautioned for dissent, saw referee Betts pull out a second yellow followed by the obligatory red with the striker losing his head on leaving the pitch going head to head with a United defender.

Two minutes into first half stoppage time saw United deliver a real blow to the visitors. Charlie Wassmer started the move finding Anthony Furlonge on the right, his ball down the line allowed Kelvin Bossman to enter a foot race against Leon Redwood that the United man won, holding the ball well before picking out the on-coming Merrifield who stroked the ball first time across keeper Tommy Forecast into the bottom corner.

First chance of the second half fell to the visitors as newly arrived substitute Tom Derry was given space to advance to the edge of the box and hit a shot that Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz was comfortably behind.

Bossman running forwards was driven wide by Mark Haines and fired over while at the other end Chelmsford skipper Mark Hughes almost fluked his side back into the game when a cross from the right bounced over off the top of the crossbar.

Within two minutes United were three to the good as Reid's burst into the box saw him hauled down by Danny Webb and a penalty was duly awarded. Reid dusted himself off and fired the ball past Forecast from 12 yards.

Reid nearly had a quick brace as he collected a Bird throughball, rounded Forecast and shot towards goal only to be thwarted by an excellent goal-line clearance by Webb, making up for his earlier indiscretion in conceding the spot kick.

Just after the hour mark the Clarets had a little spell of pressure that firstly saw Wassmer make a blocking tackle against Derry that took the ball out for a corner. The corner kick was headed back at the far post by Webb to Hughes but Jaimez-Ruiz held his close range header. Minutes later Derry sent Rob Edmans through but he blasted over from the edge of the box.

United were soon back on the attack though as Schoburgh won possession from Redwood, burst past Haines and fired a hard low centre to the far post that only just evaded the outstretched boot of Reid. Schoburgh himself then went close as he collected a Mills pass and chipped the on-coming Forecast only for his effort to clear the crossbar.

Jaimez-Ruiz did well to maintain his clean sheet ten minutes from time when Webb chipped the ball over the United defence to Derry, the United keeper swatting away his attempt to loft the ball over his head.

United's fourth came a minute from time when Inman met another Bird corner at the far post, looping his header back over Forecast into the far corner of the Clarets net to seal a comprehensive victory for Phil Babb's side

Things could have been worse for the visitors as we approached stoppage time when Reid ran clean through and was unceremoniously brought down outside the area by Forecast who received just a yellow card for his actions when some referees would have shown a straight red.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Dean Inman.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.