With ‘keepers Jack Smith and Luke Daley both injured and Xavi Comas departed to Northwood, Manager Paul Hughes’ frantic search this week for a stopper ended courtesy of a loan deal with League 2 side Barnet that sees Guyana International Kai McKenzie-Lyle join United on a month’s loan, the 20 year-old keeping a clean sheet on debut in this afternoon’s 2-0 win at Aylesbury.

Paul Hughes retained the same outfield ten that beat Marlow convincingly a week previous and this time around it took United just three minutes to break the deadlock as skipper Scott Donnelly collected the ball on the left side, his centre picking out Manny Duku who rose above his marker to head home off the underside of the Aylesbury crossbar for his fifteenth of the season (below left).

On one of the poorest surfaces United have played on this season it was hard for either side to get a passing game together which was to limit chances throughout the whole game. Next to try his luck was Laste Dombaxe who collected a throw-in and tried his luck from 20 yards, the ball going just wide of the target.

The hosts first forwards move of any threat came on twenty minutes when Davide Pobbe sprayed the ball wide to Ty Deacon who took his shot immediately but could not keep it down as the ball flew well over McKenzie-Lyle’s goal.

Just after the half time mark United again created a good opening, Toby Little’s corner kick sailed beyond the far post courtesy of a defenders flick but was collected by the alert Darnell Shakes, the defender picking out Dombaxe in the middle but home stopper Ashley Jenkins held onto his header comfortably.

Two minutes later was to see United’s only major scare of the match, a long punt out of defence saw Hafid Bounyafe break clear on the United goal, McKenzie-Lyle came out to meet him, making himself big which allowed him to block away the effort but only as far as Deacon who fired it back from 35 yards only for the United debutant to dive and make a clean catch.

Final chance of the half not surprisingly fell to United, Shakes broke away down the right side, his cross was collected at the far post by Ehui who rolled the ball to the on-coming Little who saw his dipping effort just clear Jenkins’ goal.

The second half was to have very little goalmouth action to speak of. The home side did come out positively though and created a decent opening just three minutes after the re-start as Deacon laid the ball off to Bounyafe who forced a diving grab from McKenzie-Lyle who handled the ball well all afternoon.

Just before the hour mark United hit a second. Duku and Donnelly combined on the left side before the latter fired an excellent ball across the field to Shakes who pulled the ball back to Dombaxe who fired goalwards with Ehui getting the slightest of touches as the ball rolled into the bottom corner of Jenkins’ net.

The final 30 minutes saw little of no real chances as United’s defence dominated anything the home side threw forwards and the United forwards were similarly being marshalled by the home defence at the other end. Only two noteworthy chances came in that time, both for the home side.

Joe Fitzgerald found Deacon who hit a swerving shot that curved just wide of the United goal and then in stoppage time a deep centre was met at the far post but the header dropped wide of the target and United took away maximum points to push Paul Hughes’ side back up to sixth in the table.

A late positive for United saw the introduction from the bench of under 18s skipper Jack Roper, the 17 year-old making his league debut for Hayes & Yeading by replacing goalscorer Ismael Ehui for the final few minutes.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Manny Duku.