The threat of relegation still hangs over Hayes & Yeading after a trio of quality strikes from distance saw Phil Babb’s side fall to defeat at Eastbourne Borough on Easter Monday.

The Gaffer made just one enforced change with Frankie Merrifield replacing Matty Harriott whose maximum loan arrangement had expired.

An early chance for the Sports saw Ollie Rowe head wide from a corner before two excellent openings went begging for United. Niall McManus collected the ball on the left side and moved into the box having outpaced Rowe only to be caught in two minds as to whether to cross or shoot and seemed to split between the two and the effort went wide of the far post.

Within a minute, the young Millwall loanee had another opening come his way. Adam Everitt’s free-kick was helped on by Pat Cox, McManus brought the ball down well and hit a volley that dipped just over the Sports goal.

With United very much in charge of the chances, McManus won possession in the middle of the park and found Geoff Mitchell on the left, he advanced into the box and his low driven cross was deflected just wide of the post by Rowe. McManus’s corner being met powerfully by skipper Dean Inman but the ball went the wrong side of the upright.

Six minutes later and out of nowhere the home side took the lead, James Stinson did extremely well to twice recover the ball on the right side having been tackled by Mitchell, he then found space and hit a rasping left foot drive that appeared to fly through Charlie Crowley’s fingertips into the top corner.

United were dealt a further blow on the stroke of half-time when injury forced Inman out of the game, his replacement being Ben Brown.

A further change at the start of the second half saw Jack Mills replace winger Andrew Musunga as the Manager re-shaped his midfield with Merrifield moving wide from his central position.

First opening of the second half fell to United when a cross delivered into the Sports’ area was only cleared as far as McManus and his shot from a tight angle was pushed around the post by Craig Ross.

Just minutes later the home side scored again when a poor Crowley clearance went straight to Simon Johnson and he thumped the ball back from 35 yards straight into the top corner of the United goal.

This setback didn’t make United heads drop, in fact it was the opposite as within 60 seconds the visitors had reduced the arrears. Mitchell did well to make space for a cross on the right, picking out strike partner Cox at the far post and he bravely netted with a low diving header.

Four minutes later United should have been level. McManus won the ball on the right side of the Eastbourne box and crossed low into the middle, the initial effort was blocked by Rowe throwing himself in front of the shot and when the ball dropped back to Merrifield he put the ball the wrong side of the post from 8 yards out.

Just after the hour mark a punch clear by Crowley dropped invitingly for Johnson who this time saw his effort well blocked by Jack Mills.

Good work from Freddie Ladapo set up a shooting chance for Merrifield who saw his curling effort well tipped over by Ross and shortly afterwards Mitchell got his head to a Williams cross but Ross was again equal to it.

With a couple of minutes left on the watch and United pushing up for a leveller, the home side landed a sucker punch. Merrifield was caught in possession on the flank and when the ball was played up to Darren Lok, he turned past his marker and rifled home an unstoppable shot from just outside the box to leave United just above the drop-zone as the season enters its final week.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Luke Williams.