Some impressive second half finishing from Hemel Hempstead Town left Hayes and Yeading United to rue missed chances to take the lead and eventually ran out as worthy winners by four goals to nil.

The home side had plenty of possession in the opening stages, but Josh Scott instigated the first near miss, releasing Mason Spence on a quick break down the right and his lay off found Luke Williams who drilled a 20 yard shot towards the top corner, only for Jamie Butler to tip the ball wide at full stretch.

It took a while for Hemel Hempstead to respond but when they did, Jamie Slabber skewed his shot tamely across goal and wide. They were then denied by a diving Dan Lincoln keeping John Frendo's low shot out with his legs.

On 29 minutes, a deep Lewis Ferrell cross was met at the back post by the late arriving Alex Osborn with a thumping header which flew across goal and inches wide. At the other end, Lincoln pulled off a remarkable save to block Ben Herd's shot from a tight angle after James Potton's low had centre flown all the way across the goalmouth. However, he was helpless to stop their next effort, a thumping header by Terrell Forbes from a near post corner just before half time.

After the break, a fierce Frendo volley was bravely diverted away from goal as The Tudors sought to establish control of the game. However, there wasn't much in it until just after the hour, when Hemel Hempstead broke quickly and Ferrell committed a foul just outside the box. Right back Jack Smith shot directly at goal and it might have taken a nick off the wall as it looped into the top corner of the net beyond Lincoln's despairing dive.

The United team's efforts couldn't be faulted, and Ben Gerring got on the end of a Brendan Kiernan corner, but headed over. At the other end, however, Mo Shariff was found in acres of space deep inside the penalty area but he completely fluffed his shot. However, the hosts were clearly keen to rub it in and did so with two more goals coming soon afterwards. Matt Spring applied a finish to a good move with a firm shot, before former United midfielder Matty Harriott drilled in a long shot which rose all the way into the top corner.

Again Lincoln, who was unfortunate to be on the wrong end of such a scoreline, kept goal tidily, and he beat away another long range effort from Shariff. In the dying moments, United went close to a consolation goal but Butler tipped Gerring's header around the post, thus preserving their clean sheet and four goal margin on a difficult evening for Tristan Lewis's side.

Report by Nick Bell.

Photo's by Ray Peploe.
hotos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Dan Lincoln.

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