Hayes & Yeading exited the Middlesex Charity Cup at the first hurdle as a young development side lost to Harrow Borough at Earlsmead on Tuesday evening.

With United not really getting going early on, two strikes inside the opening half hour rocked the United youngsters back somewhat and it was a former United man in the shape of Kamaron English who opened the scoring for the home side when he collected a chipped cross at the far post and fired past Grant Smith from close range.

Six minutes later the Earlsmead side doubled their advantage when a long ball up the right side saw Raheem Sterling-Parker outpace Jake Rigby before sliding the ball wide of Smith's dive.

Minutes later United had thier best chance of the half when Dylan Kearney chipped the ball to Jack Thomson-Wheeler in the box and although he lofted it past the advancing Jamie Jackson, Junior Fatai was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

The killer strike came in first half stoppage time when a sloppy pass just outside the United box saw possession taken by Lewis Driver who was denied by a fine one handed stop from Smith only for the Boro' striker to ram home the loose ball.

The second half saw an improved showing from United in a squad that contained no fewer than ten 17 year-olds but the only real chance of note again fell to Thomson-Wheeler who having exchanged passes with Curtis Cyrus aimed for the bottom corner from 18 yards but his effort was blocked wide by Fatai.

While not the result United's youngsters would have been looking for, this was a good workout in a senior match environment alongside the experience of Gary MacDonald for the majority of the side.

Report by Kevin Watts.