Hayes & Yeading finally got to kick a ball in anger in 2016, earning a point against a play-off chasing Hemel Hempstead Town side at York Road on Saturday.

Manager Garry Haylock placed three new faces in his starting XI as ‘keeper Charlie Burns replaced the now departed Dan Lincoln and former Staines pair Darren Purse and Ashley Lodge also came into the side.

United were out of the starting blocks quickest and came close to opening the scoring in just the seventh minute, a long ball forwards to the returning Luke Williams saw him control the ball smartly before hitting a shot from 18 yards that went just the wrong side of the far post.

Williams soon went close again as a partly cleared centre fell to him on the volley but the ball bounced wide once more. Charlie Burns saw his first real action around the half hour mark when Zane Banton slid the ball through to Jamie Slabber, the loanee ‘keeper coming off his line quickly to block the effort away.

Three minutes later United broke the deadlock. Ashley Lodge was sent away on the left by Elliot Benyon, he then picked out the on-coming Mason Spence who played the ball first time back in to the mix and when all and sundry missed it Lodge collected and steered his shot beyond Jamie Butler for a debut goal.

The Tudors came straight back at United looking for an immediate response, Adam Bailey-Dennis just missed the angle of post and crossbar with a far post header while Graeme Montgomery’s stooping header was straight into the arms of Burns and United went in a goal up at the break.

As has been the case a little too often recently, United conceded within five minutes of the re-start. A free-kick was awarded just outside the right side of the area, Montgomery took the kick with Slabber arriving with perfect timing to glance his header beyond Burns into the corner of the United net.

Having had the better of the first period, it was the visiting Tudors who were to have bulk of the play in the second. Having just created the equaliser, Montgomery was soon amongst the United back-line again, this time his low driven cross failing to receive a connection in the middle as it shot across the six yard box.

The same player then had a header that was aimed for the top corner well caught by the diving Burns and at the other end a smart centre by Benyon cleared Butler only to be turned over his own crossbar by Terrell Forbes as Lodge closed in looking for a second.

Burns then produced a fine save just before the hour mark which saw him keep out a point blank effort after a short corner routine was not picked up allowing Kyle Connolly to cross from the left to Slabber who saw his powerful header pushed out although he would have been denied by the raised assistants flag anyway.

Banton then placed a Montgomery centre just wide of the post when well placed in the middle before the same player broke away past Devante McKain, moved into the box only to be denied by Burns who did well to palm away his shot.

Burns was needed again in the 79th minute. Bailey-Dennis collected the ball from a knock down 12 yards from goal, his effort was deflected en route, with the United ‘keeper doing well to block the ball away.

Having absorbed much pressure without conceding a second, United could have won the game with four minutes remaining as Benyon broke away from the Tudors offside claims to collect an excellent Luke Williams pass only to be denied by the swiftness of Butler who was quickly out from his goal to block the strikers’ path and it ended honours even.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Brian Matthews.

United Man of the Match: Charlie Burns.

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