A single Toby Little strike, his 22nd of the campaign from left wing-back, was enough to see Hayes & Yeading United crowned as Bostik League South Central Champions with four games remaining, Paul Hughes' side having an unassailable lead and now a goal difference of +90.
United made a single change to the starting XI from a week previous with Josh Chamberlain replacing Nick Elliott who dropped to the bench.
First to test the opposition 'keeper was United defender Ed Asafu-Adjaye who advanced from midfield before hitting his shot goalwards from 20 yards but Taye Ashby-Hammond held the effort comfortably. Within seconds United were back on the offensive as Chid Onokwai collected the ball just inside the Chipstead area, his shot on the turn being deflected wide by the visitors defence.
What turned out to be a crucial and decisive strike for the hosts came in just the eighth minute. Ashley Smith collected the ball on the right flank, his pinpoint cross found opposite Wing-back Toby Little on the left corner of the box and he crashed home his 22nd of the season, firing low across Ashby-Hammond into the far corner of the net.
Five minutes later Ashley Smith was again in possession on the right, this time his centre found Onokwai, the strikers shot was blocked to Josh Chamberlain who drove the ball over the top from the edge of the box.
16 minutes had been played and United really should have doubled the lead. Skipper Scott Donnelly played a free-kick into the visitors box, Liam McDevitt nodded the ball down to the normally accurate Lee Barney who on this occasion rushed his shot and blazed over from 6 yards out.
United's dominance of the ball continued to the halfway point in the first half, Donnelly set up a shooting chance for Scott Bridges who was too high from 18 yards out and then Onokwai chased the ball into the corner before feeding Smith, his centre was flicked on by Chamberlain to Little who hit a dipping volley that beat Ashby-Hammond only to clear the crossbar by inches.
It was 27 minutes before United had a minor scare at their defensive end, a long ball upfield bounced and Mitchal Gough could not get enough power on his header back to Jack Smith and with Sam Bell closing in, the United stopper did well to come out and head clear.
Bell had another chance minutes before the break, the visiting striker breaking away at pace only to shoot weakly from the edge of the box straight into Jack Smith's grateful arms.
Stoppage time saw the final chance before the break as Onokwai ran at the Chipstead defence only for his shot to be deflected wide of the target and United went in a goal to the good at the interval with the title bid very much on course.
The first effort after the break came from the visitors as Sam Page fed the ball inside to substitute Jacob Sewell but his 20 yard shot never looked like troubling the United goal.
The champions elect were soon back in the ascendancy though. Bridges played a corner to Donnelly on the edge of the box, the skipper only just missing the target with his volley and just before the hour mark Donnelly and Little combined to feed the ball to Onokwai on the bye-line, he in turn found Barney in the middle but his shot was blocked over by a timely defensive interception.
On the other side of the hour mark Little fired the ball across the SKYex billiard table pitch to Barney, the striker took a touch to the edge of the box before firing a low shot toward the far corner that went wide and in doing so just evaded the boot of a sliding Onokwai.
Soon after Barney and Little combined to make an opening for Donnelly, another deflection seeing the ball go the wrong side of the upright and soon after McDevitt went close, the central defensive kingpin getting his head to an Ashley a Smith cross only for the ball to go agonisingly wide of the far post.
With twenty minutes left the visitors went as close as they had all game when Dan Moody planted a free-kick into the United box, a partial clearance dropping to Sewell who fired inches wide under pressure from Asafu-Adjaye with Jack Smith throwing himself full stretch to his right just in case.
The final ten minutes threw up chances for both sides on more than one occasion as United look to seal a first senior club league title in style. Little tried to lob home from 30 yards but his attempt drifted wide and at the other end Sam Clayton played a free-kick into the box, the ball was played out to Moody who hit a shot that was blocked away by a flying Gough.
The visitors continued to try and rain on the United parade as the game drew to a close. Sewell fired across the United goal and wide and then with a minute remaining Clayton stepped up to take a free-kick from 20 yards out, his tame effort being easily gathered in by Smith.
Play immediately switched ends to Onokwai but the striker having moved into the visitors box fired weakly at the 'keeper before referee Elson closed off the game and the title belonged to Paul Hughes' side as United are promoted back to step 3 where we will play in either the Bostik or Evo-Stik Premier Division next season.
Congratulations to Paul, his staff and especially the players for giving us such a successful season on the pitch, onwards and upwards for this club as we move forwards with renewed hope after some very hard times in recent years.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Montimagemedia ©.
United Man of the Match: Toby Little.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
