Hayes & Yeading bowed out of the Buildbase FA Trophy at the hands of holders Brackley Town however Paul Hughes' side can hold their heads high with a performance that didn't show the two levels between the sides to any great extent.

Hayes & Yeading United were out of the blocks quickly as Hassan Jalloh threaded the ball forwards to Duncan Culley in just the second minute and he fired past Saints 'keeper Danny Lewis only for the ball to come back off the upright.

Play quickly switched ends though as Shane Byrne played a corner to the near post and this was met on the volley by Liam McAlinden but his effort was wide of the United goal.

The 11th minute saw a goalmouth Melee inside the United six yard box with both Ed Asafu-Adjaye and Toby Little clearing efforts off the line firstly from McAlinden and then from the rebound effort by Glenn Walker.

Four minutes later Glenn Walker played the ball in from the left to Matt Lowe, his shot from the edge of the box being held by the returning Jack Smith in the United goal.

Two minutes later United went close again as Toby Little's cross from the left was clawed out from under the crossbar by Lewis with the loose ball just evading the oncoming Roddy Collins.

Soon after Lewis was again required, this time the Saints stopper diving to hold a long range Jalloh effort. Within a minute though a breakaway at the other end saw Lowe play the ball square to Daniel Nti on the edge of the United box, he further flicked it on to McAlinden who saw his shot pushed wide by Smith.

Just past the half hour mark the Saints were starting to really put pressure on the United goal. Luke Fairlamb stood the ball up into the middle of the United box, Asafu-Adjaye flicked it away from an attacking head but only as far as Ellis Myles who saw his volley cleared away inside the six yard box by Scott Donnelly.

Ten minutes from the break Smith produced his best save of the half going full stretch to tip away a deflected Lowe shot with the corner being dealt with by the United defence.

In stoppage time, Nti's cross from the right found McAlinden, Smith blocked the initial effort away back to Nti who crossed again with Adam Walker this time heading wide and we went in goalless at half-time.

Unfortunately for United the home side came out and took just four minutes to break the deadlock. Nti played the ball across the park to Adam Walker who controlled the pass before sliding his shot past Smith into the back of the United net.

United however refused to let their heads drop at this set back and just two minutes later Paul Hughes' side were level. Little crossed deep from the left, Culley rose highest beyond the far post to head the ball back to Jalloh who fired past Lewis into the top corner from just inside the box.

Two minutes further into the game and United were unlucky not to have the lead, half-time substitute Lee Barney collecting a corner in the box and striking for goal only for a defender to throw himself in the way of the shot, deflecting it marginally over the top.

With the rain still pouring, and the excellent playing surface at St James Park doing the home side proud, it was United who created another opening just past the hour when an interchange between Asafu-Adjaye and Donnelly saw the latter's shot saved by Lewis in the Saints goal.

Just two minutes later the home side struck again, this time a little against the run of play, Nti tapping home a left wing cross as the Saints broke away from a United attack.

The home side could have had another on 77 minutes but Lee Ndlovu shot weakly straight at Smith when well placed and United made them pay with an equaliser within a minute. Donnelly played a short corner to Jalloh and he returned the ball to his skipper who curled a shot from the corner of the box toward the far corner and in off the underside of the crossbar.

The home side and FA Trophy holders started to push for another with ten minutes remaining, Ndlovu burst through only to be denied by Smith who was quickly sliding out of his box to deflect the effort wide but then with six minutes to go Brackley struck again as a well worked exchange in the United box provided a chance for Lowe who smashed the ball past Smith.

Smith kept the game open a minute later when he tipped an Adam Walker effort onto the bar with Ndlovu blazing over the crossbar from the rebound.

United were now pushing everything forwards looking to earn a replay, Little had a shot blocked right on the post before the Saints broke away with three on one, Lowe went around the unprotected Smith and squared the ball for substitute Shaun Jeffers to tap home a fourth for Brackley and seal United's fate for another season in this competition.

So in conclusion, United are beaten but against a side two levels higher, Paul Hughes' side put in an excellent shift and can be proud of what has been achieved this campaign in the countries premier non-league knockout competition and United can now concentrate on chasing down the League title, a quest that was aided by those around us both losing this afternoon in their respective Bostik League fixtures.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe (top 3) & Montimagemedia (bottom 2).

United Man of the Match: Scott Donnelly.