Hayes & Yeading’s under 18 side made it four wins from four to start the season as Ashford Town (Middlesex) were beaten 4-0 in the rain at Short Lane on Monday evening.

Simon East’s side were to dominate the chances in the opening half but went in at the break with a slender one goal advantage having too many times fallen foul of the assistant’s offside flag.

The home side had a lucky escape on seven minutes when a Gil Cravid cross from the right was met at the far post by skipper Ben Peden only for his header to strike the back of defender Gabriel Bediaro’s head before being cleared.

On the quarter hour mark Prince Mbengiu was only just too high from the edge of the box having moved onto a Jalon Rowe pass and a couple of minutes later Peden found Cravid but his shot deflected wide off United’s Senesei Koroma-Ice.

The breakthrough came in the 31st minute as Koroma-Ice collected a Jalon Rowe centre, turned his marker and fired past home keeper Jack Darby for his fifth of the season, in what was his first start.

Peden and Jalon Rowe soon combined to create another opening for Koroma-Ice but this time Darby held his shot.

The hosts’ first real attempt at goal came on 42 minutes when a shot from distance by Joe McBride was fielded at the second attempt by United custodian Tyler Wootton.

Another chance came United’s way as the half closed when Arti Krasniqi won possession on the left, he took the ball to the bye-line before pulling it back to Peden who fired over with his second attempt after the first was blocked.

United came out with renewed fire at the break and doubled the lead in less than 2 minutes. Almost immediately from the re-start Koroma-Ice was put through, forcing a full stretch diving save from Darby. The resultant corner by Jalon Rowe was headed against his own crossbar by Bediaro, Taofiq Olomowewe collected the ball at the far post and found Mbengiu in the middle who fired past Darby from 12 yards.

Central midfielder Mert Bajraktari was inches wide from fully 25 yards and then ten minutes later the ball was on the penalty spot after Mbengiu was tripped in the box by Ashford's Sonny Huntley. Peden stepped up and gave Darby no chance from 12 yards.

Ten further minutes passed with little incident in from of goal and then, despite struggling with what appeared to be a tight hamstring, Koroma-Ice collected the ball, turned and fired into the bottom corner of Darby's goal.

With time ticking down, United could have increased the lead only to be denied twice by fine Darby saves. Firstly the home stopper pushed a well struck Krasniqi free-kick around the post and just a couple of minutes later he denied Koroma-Ice a hat-trick when he got down low to his left to push a goalbound skidding shot away to safety.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: Prince Mbengiu.

Taofiq Olomowewe