A 2-0 defeat to Harrow Borough marked Hayes and Yeading United's first game with the new management team of Ritchie Hanlon and Paul Hughes taking full control and ended their involvement in the Middlesex Senior Cup at the first hurdle.

Harrow forced a save from Louis Wells as early as the 38th second as Ibrahim Meite capitalised on a mistimed header by Yannis Ambroisine and hit a rising shot which the United keeper helped over the bar. From the resulting corner, they grabbed the early advantage as a deep corner was headed back across goal by Will Turl and touched in from close range by Meite despite the best attempts from James Taylor on the goal line to keep it out.

Another Francis Babalola corner in the 6th minute found Turl and he flicked the ball just wide of the left hand post from 10 yards out. Set plays continued to be a potent threat for Harrow as Babilola centred another corner to meet Shaun Preddie who headed over.

United had their first shot on target on 12 minutes. Dylan Kearney threaded the ball through to Lloyd Macklin who let it run across him, taking him to a narrow angle. Despite this, he forced a low diving save from Luke Williams. A few minutes later, Taylor set Macklin through on the left again and his centre was met by the late arriving Cole Brown and Williams gathered his shot at the second attempt under pressure from Kearney.

On 24 minutes, Harrow got close again. Max Holland showed good footwork and got his cross in, Meite headed the ball down and Turl hit a shot on the turn which Ambroisine blocked with a sliding challenge. A similar effort from Babilola was also blocked by Ambroisine in a passage of play where United were struggling to clear their lines. Then, towards the end of the half, the same forward jinked through the midfield and hit a 25 yard shot which Wells dived low to parry and Yassin Moutaouakil cleared. Soon afterwards, in the 39th minute, Babilola and Ambroisine challenged a long throughball and with the United defender left on the floor appealing for a free kick, it all opened up for Turl to run through and extend the lead with a firm finish.

United had a chance in the 45th minute when Sam Humphreys found Matt Sinclair in an advanced position and he wrong footed his marker before drilling a firm shot straight at Williams. Then in stoppage time, Macklin broke through and his low shot was tipped wide by Williams. The resulting corner caused mayhem as Macklin's deflected cross looped just under the crossbar and the ball ricocheted off Brown but spun just away from goal before crossing the line and was cleared.

Hanlon and Hughes made changes at half time and their side started the second half in a lively fashion. Brown advanced down the right flank and a precise pass found Kearney 15 yards from goal in a central position. However, his shot was too close to Williams who pushed the ball away.

The lively Babilola had the first Boro' chance of the half, latching onto Joe Debayo's clearance before drilling a low shot which Wells comfortably fielded. He then nonchalantly blocked Meite's shot with his feet. Harrow stepped up the pressure and Holland had two goalbound efforts blocked in quick succession by Manny Adebowale, who defended solidly throughout.

For a long time afterwards, both defences got on top and play became a midfield scrap. However, with five minutes to go, Babilola latched onto a throughball on the right wing and fired a rising shot which Wells took the sting out of before gathering in. As play reached the final minutes, Jerson dos Santos advanced again and fed the ball through to fellow substitute Melford Simpson who went through one one one with Williams but hit his shot straight at him. A dos Santos free kick which dipped just over the bar in stoppage time was United's last effort on goal, and so it was Harrow who were to advance in the Middlesex Senior Cup.


Report by Nick Bell.

United Man of the Match: Manny Adebowale.