Mickey Lewis’s Hayes & Yeading United side came through a potential FA Cup banana skin with a 2-0 win away at Spartan South Midlands side Sun Sports who fought hard to the end in their scenic Hertfordshire ground.

While controlling early possession, it was not until the fifteenth minute that United got a clear line of vision to the Sports goal. Cole Brown and Lloyd Macklin combined well on the approach to set up a chance for Melford Simpson, the striker’s shot being pushed away by Sports ‘keeper Matthew Evans.

With the home side relying on long balls and quick breaks that were few and far between it was a little bit of backs to the wall for the home side with Evans proving difficult to beat when United did get through, as was the case on 24 minutes when Macklin broke free in to the box only to be denied by Evans’ outstretched leg.

Three minutes later United took the lead, albeit in somewhat confusing circumstances. James Harper fired in a deep corner from the right, the partially cleared ball was played back in to the far post by Yannis Ambroisine and was met by the towering figure of Simpson whose header appeared to cross the line before being clawed out by Evans, the confusing part being the referees assistant raised his thumb to seemingly signal goal and then moved to play on, it was only when referee Mr Cartmel approached him that he confirmed it was a goal (pictured above right – one frame further and we would have known for sure), much to the annoyance of home players and bench alike.

Ten minutes later Evans proved a stumbling block again, this time pushing away a Harper shot from just inside the box after Simpson laid the ball off neatly and the in stoppage time Louis Wells goal was threatened for the first time when Reece McArthur’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected wide and from the resultant corner the ball found its way to Tommy Walsh 20 yards out but his shot was just too high to trouble Wells.

United continued in the ascendancy after the break, skipper Adam Everitt’s long throw was flicked on by Simpson to Harper, his header going beyond Evans only to come back off the post into the ‘keepers arms. Simpson himself then fired across goal and wide before a quick throw-in by the Sports saw the ball drop to Andrew Brennan who hit a first time shot that the excellent Tom Broadbent did well to take the sting out of and make it an easy gather for Wells.

The decisive strike for United came a few minutes later and again from a Harper set piece. This time a corner from the left made its way to the far post where both Walsh and Everitt got to the ball at the same time and it flew into the Sports net.

Just four minutes later and the home side saw their best opening come and go as Walsh broke into the box and with the option of firing across the unprotected Wells looking the best option, the Sports player went for the near post and could only find the side netting.

Simpson then set up a chance for Macklin again, Evans doing well to push his effort away and then at the other end Jamie Speer set up the impressive Dominic David who was denied by a sliding challenge from Harry Grant that sent the ball inches wide of the upright.

The introduction of Academy graduate Matt Sinclair seemed to give United extra momentum going forwards in the final quarter hour and it was he who went closest to making it three when he beat Speer on the left and fired goalwards from a tight angle only for the ball to come back off the outside of the post.

Sinclair then saw a shot blocked with Everitt’s follow up volley going over before two Academy graduates combined with Sinclair feeding Dylan Kearney who took a touch but missed the target by inches from just inside the box and the game drew to its conclusion in the now pouring rain having started out in bright sunshine, that’s English weather for you I suppose.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Adam Everitt.