Hayes & Yeading’s tenure in the Conference South was brought to a shuddering halt at Kingfield when a very hotly disputed penalty award went the way of the visitors with just 3 minutes to go seeing them to victory by the odd goal in three.
Things could not have started worse for Phil Babb’s side when an error by reserve keeper Charlie Crowley in letting the ball squirm from his grasp in just the third minute led to the visitors keeping possession with the final cross coming from Moses Ademola who picked out an unmarked Nathan Elder at the far post and he headed home to give Dover the lead.
Chances for the next ten minutes came and went for the visitors with United not really getting a look in. Craig Stone’s cross from the right was met by a diving Chris Kinnear jr but his header went back across goal and wide before Barry Cogan beat Crowley with a free-kick from 20 yards out only for the ball to crash back off the United crossbar.
United then started to push upfield themselves and on 23 minutes found a vital equaliser when Geoff Mitchell got in front of his marker at the near post to head home a Niall McManus corner.
The only other two chances of the half fell to the visitors. Ademola latched onto a Dean Inman clearance and curled a shot just over the top and then a deep centre from Tom Wynter found the head of Elder but he headed over the top.
With the game heading into stoppage time, of which there was eventually to be nine minutes, keeper Charlie Crowley needed treatment for a head injury and had to be replaced by player/coach Delroy Preddie between the sticks.
Chances in the second half were again to be at a premium. Sean Raggett got his head to a 51st minute corner but his effort struck one of his own players in the six yard box. Then just after the hour mark Preddie showed us all “he still has it” as Rocky Modeste picked out Cogan at the far post, his header that looked to be heading for the top corner being superbly tipped away by the diving Preddie. The resultant corner was met by Raggett but his header cleared the United goal.
Openings at the other end saw both Mitchell and Frankie Merrifield fire wide of the near post and with just seven minutes remaining Mitchell chased down and beat Raggett to the ball, having held off the Whites defender, he laid the ball back to United substitute Andrew Musunga who hit a shot from fully 25 yards that Whites keeper Mitch Walker grabbed at the second attempt.
Then with three minutes remaining in my opinion one of the harshest decisions of the season took United’s Conference South status away when Tom Murphy blasted the ball towards Adam Everitt from 20 yards out, the ball struck the defenders fingers as he moved to block and to everybody’s amazement referee Chris Powell pointed to the spot. After several minutes of arguments with the official from the United players, Cogan stepped up and although Preddie chose the right direction, the spot kick was too well struck.
Despite throwing everything forwards, United already knowing a draw would be good enough, it was not to be as Dover also knew a win would see them into the promotion play-offs and they packed the defence and with United unable to find a leveller it was relegation for Phil Babb’s side and while today’s winning goal had a controversial edge to it, sadly you don’t go down from just one defeat, to coin an old phrase, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
We must now pick ourselves up, dust down the boots over the summer and come back stronger next season and push for an instant return.
And that’s me signing off for another year, have a great summer and enjoy the World Cup. Kev.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Geoff Mitchell.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
