Hayes & Yeading’s fine form continued at a rain hit SKYex on Saturday afternoon as Paul Hughes’ side put in another fine performance to beat in form Bedford Town 4-0.

The Manager made just a single change to the side that had earned three points at Moneyfields a week previous with Laste Dombaxe replacing the injured Spyros Mentis in the United midfield.

As with the previous weekend, United started well and could have taken a second minute lead when Toby Little’s shot was blocked back to Duncan Culley, he rolled the ball to Ryan Kinnane who saw his shot saved by Eagles stopper Kyle Forster.

The next fifteen minutes saw United concede quite a bit of the ball to the visitors without really being tested too much, the closest being in the 19th minute when David Manu burst into the United box and ran towards the corner of the six yard box, his eventual drive being blocked wide by a combination of Ola Olajubu and Tom Smith.

United then started to take control of the match and in the 24th minute the woodwork came to the Eagles rescue as United swept the ball upfield from Donnelly to Adam Cash on the right, his excellent cross picked out Manny Duku at the far post but the United top scorers first time effort struck the crossbar and came away to safety.

Minutes later United took the lead. Duku collected on the left side of the box, his pull back set up Donnelly who saw his shot blocked out by Forster to Culley who with his back to goal was felled from behind by Eagles skipper James Peters and referee Elson duly pointed to the spot. Culley stepped up and despite Forster guessing correctly, he could not get a hand to Culley’s well struck kick.

Within sixty seconds United were indebted to their own stopper in the form of Danny Boness who went full stretch to acrobatically tip over a 15 yard drive from Lee Roache who had beaten off the challenge of Smith to get his shot away.

United almost had a second six minutes from the break when Donnelly played the ball forwards to Duku, Forster was quickly off his line and should have cleared only to kick air with Duku collecting the ball and hitting a curling shot with Forster stranded only for the ball to drift wide of the far post.

Play switched immediately once again and it was United who had the woodwork to thank for staying in front. Peters took control of the ball on the right side of the box, his initial effort to cross was denied by Olajubu but when the ball went straight back to Peters he fired past Boness only for the ball to strike the crossbar then the post before going away to safety where Cash was able to play the ball clear of danger.

First half stoppage time brought United a second goal and a club record equalling individual strike from Duku as the striker equalled the season high total of 25 goals set by Josh Scott in season 2008/09. The striker collecting a neatly chipped Donnelly pass before firing past the desperate dive of Forster to end the half on a high for the home side.

United came out after the break looking to add to the tally quickly. Culley sent Little away down the left flank, his centre being sliced over his own goal by Ollie Swaine and this was followed minutes later by a Donnelly corner that found the head of Smith, the United defender unable to break his duck as his header flew wide of the target.

Just past the hour United were nearly caught out at the back, Keano Robinson slipped which gave possession to David Manu, in attempting to come out to meet the Eagles winger, Boness also slipped but then showed good agility to regain his balance and block away the resultant shot.

Another Eagles opening came shortly after as Devante Stanley’s low centre fell to Manu, his shot however was weak and easily dealt with by Boness. Just over 20 minutes remained on the referee’s watch when Smith blocked a drive on the edge of the box, the loose ball falling to veteran striker Paul Benson who saw his shot deflected wide by a well-timed Robinson challenge. The resultant corner was met by Swaine who headed wide of the target.

Robinson then advanced from central defence and was inches wide from distance and then within seconds United had regained possession and found the net for a third time as Laste Dombaxe found Donnelly who fired a low drive into the bottom corner of the Eagles net.

Credit to the visitors though as they continued to push on looking to get something from the game, Boness did well at the post to block away a point blank Peters effort while at the other end a wind enhanced Little corner bounced over off the top of the crossbar. This was soon followed by Boness being called into action again, this time the on loan United stopper denying Jimmy Hartley by diving full stretch to push the shot away to safety.

Hartley again went close just inside the 90 minutes, his shot dipping inches over the United goal and then in stoppage time United made it four and “goodnight Vienna” as substitute Ismael Ehui picked out Little, he advanced up the left before pulling the ball inside to Culley, he played it wide right to Ehui who had continued his run, the striker hitting a fierce low drive across Hartley into the far corner to put the seal on another fine United win that pushes Paul Hughes’ side up into fourth place in the table.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Scott Donnelly.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.