For Hayes & Yeading’s first competitive meeting with Oxford City, Manager Garry Haylock stuck with the same starting XI that had brought three points back from Somerset on Tuesday evening, the only changes being on the bench where Jim Fenlon and new signing Olumide Durojaiye replaced James Taylor and Elliott Simpson respectively.

Playing with the wind and the slope on a heavy wet pitch, United forged an early opening when Emmanuel Monthe met a Max Worsfold corner but his header was just too high to trouble Laurie Walker in the City goal.

Minutes later, United found themselves behind. Matt Whichelow exchanged passes with Kynan Isaac on the left and collected the return pass in the United area and pulled the ball back to skipper Bradley Bubb who smashed the ball past Charlie Burns giving the United ‘keeper no chance.

With both sides having to deal with the wet and windy conditions it took some time for another opening to present itself and again it was for the visitors courtesy of the Whichelow – Isaac combination on the left. This time the recipient of their interchange was Reece Fleet who saw his shot from 12 yards well blocked by Burns and the United defence were able to clear away.

After the half hour mark United started to get a better grip on proceedings and start to pressurise the visiting defence. A pass up field to top scorer Elliot Benyon saw him hold off his marker before getting a shot away that took a deflection before coming back off ‘keeper Walker’s chest for a team-mate to clear.

Monthe again went close as the break approached, this time from a deep Luke Williams corner and then in stoppage time, Ashley Lodge won the ball in the City half and ran at the last defender before playing the ball square to Benyon, Walker doing well to deny the striker with his legs.

United started the second half in the ascendancy as they had closed out the first and were level in just 11 minutes. Skipper Adam Everitt collected the ball 20 yards from goal, his off target shot being missed by a sliding defender with the Benyon nipping in front of Walker to fire home a deserved equaliser for United.

The visitors came forwards again looking to re-take the lead quickly. Lee Henderson sent a stopping header from a corner wide and then in the 64th minute a frenzy of legs in the United six yard box saw Bubb completely miss his kick before Marlon Jackson poked the ball wide of the upright much to United’s relief.

United substitute Ismael Ehui didn’t take long to get in to the action, his header from fellow substitute Jim Fenlon being fielded by Walker shortly after the striker replaced the injured Max Worsfold. Walker was then down sharply on the edge of his box to deny Williams who almost got on the end of Justin Nwogu’s pass.

With four minutes to go the visitors nearly took the lead once again courtesy of two of their own substitutes. Declan Benjamin was played through, Burns doing well to block away with his legs and when the loose ball ran straight to Connor McDonaugh on the left of the box, he screwed his effort well wide of the unguarded far post.

This scare gelled United again and two minutes later what turned out to be the match clincher arrived. Mon of the match Monthe played the ball from halfway up to Benyon on the left of the City area, he turned his marker one way and then the other before chipping a cross that Ehui met with a glancing header, the ball coming back off the post before striking Walker and rolling back into the net for an unfortunate own goal that saw United clinch back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Emmanuel Monthe.

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