Hayes & Yeading United effectively moved to within just one point of promotion and the Bostik South Central title with a hard fought 2-0 victory away at FC Romania courtesy of second half strikes from top scorer Lee Barney and the returning Connor Toomey.
Paul Hughes made two changes to his previous starting XI with Nick Elliott coming in for Josh Chamberlain who dropped to the bench and former FC Romania striker Chid Onokwai facing his old team in place of the injured Elliot Benyon.
The home side started like a train forcing Jack Smith into a double save within the opening 40 seconds. The first chance fell to Eugene Morgan who broke into the box just to the left, his shot was blocked away by the boot of Smith and when the loose ball ran to Sergiu Maximov, Smith was again equal to the effort enabling the United defence to clear the danger as the ball came away off the United stopper's save.
United took a little while to forge an opening of their own, this coming on 18 minutes when Scott Bridges fed the ball to Chid Onokwai in the box, the striker's low effort being dealt with comfortably by Romania 'keeper Adrian Darabant.
A minute later the home side worked another opening just inside the United box with Ed Asafu-Adjaye making a well timed interception against Roddy Lemba which saw the strikers shot deflected wide of the target.
The midway point of the half saw another chance for Onokwai, the striker receiving the ball from Ashley Smith, his shot on the turn however was wide of the target.
Minutes later it was Bridges' turn to go close, having rolled a free-kick short to Toby Little, the ball was halted and set for a Bridges curler, the United midfielder beating the wall only for his effort to drift wide of the upright.
Both side's had a chance to break the deadlock from distance in the closing few minutes of the half. On 42 minutes, Nick Elliott fired goalwards from 25 yards with Darabant punching the fierce drive away and then two minutes later FC Romania's Maximov tried his luck from 30 yards out but the effort was straight at Jack Smith and the two teams went in scoreless at the interval.
United were quicker out of the blocks in the second half, just two minutes had elapsed when Elliott found United skipper Scott Donnelly, his low shot from just outside the box again went wide of the target without troubling Darabant.
Jack Smith was again required in the 55th minute as Maximov once more tried his luck from distance, the United stopper pushing away the well struck 25 yarder and then just two minutes later a fine Darabant save at the opposite end again denied Lee Barney who saw his half-volley pushed out to Donnelly who fired the rebound over the top.
On the hour the impressive Maximov tried from even further out, having picked off a poor Mitchal Gough pass, the Romanian tried to lob the wandering Jack Smith from the centre circle, the ball drifting over the United goal with Smith back to his goal line in time to watch it go over anyway.
The deadlock was finally broken by the "Champions elect" on 69 minutes when Little played the ball in from the left to Barney, the United striker turning home his 32nd of the season as the ball flew into the top corner courtesy of a deflection.
A few minutes later Onokwai had another chance to score against his former club when he moved onto a weak back-pass only to shoot weakly straight at Darabant.
The final five minutes saw more chances and finally a decisive second goal for United. On 85 minutes substitute Josh Chamberlain got his head to another Little cross but his effort was just too high to trouble Darabant and two minutes later another substitute, this time Connor Toomey, did well to hold up the ball in the corner before rolling it the Asafu-Adjaye, his far post cross picking out Bridges only for his header to go inches wide of the post.
Goal number two for United came in the 90th minute, Jack Smith played a free-kick up the left side from his own half, Onokwai flicked on to Little who once again played provider, this time striking a low centre to Toomey who tucked home from close range to seal 
victory for Paul Hughes' side on his second Hayes & Yeading "debut" leaving United on the very edge of a first League title for the senior team.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Montimagemedia ©.
United Man of the Match: Scott Bridges.
