Hayes & Yeading's title charge continued in the affirmative at the SKYex on a spring like February Saturday as Paul Hughes' side fought hard and succeeded in maintaining their 100% home record courtesy of a solitary Josh Chamberlain strike which was enough to seal a 1-0 victory and was also United's 100th League goal of the season.
Manager Paul Hughes plunged four recent signings striaght into the starting XI, giving League debuts to Joe Wilson, Kunle Otudeko, Chid Onokwai and Nathan Webb.
It was however the visitors from Hertfordshire who started the better and in the eighth minute Albert Adu collected the ball in the United box, his initial effort was blocked to Leigh Rose who saw his shot saved at the post by Charlie Burns.
Two minutes later another opening came the way of the visitors when Burns failed to connect having come for a ball in from the right side, the loose ball dropped to Dave Cowley who saw his driven shot deflected away by Liam McDevitt.
United's first real push forwards came minutes later when Scott Bridges played the ball wide to Chid Onokwai, the newly signed striker turned past Harry Norman and shot from the corner of the Ware area but his effort didn't trouble former United stopper Calum Kitscha in the visitors goal.
Two minutes later it took a desperate Ed Asafu-Adjaye block to keep the game scoreless. Cowley broke free on the left side, Burns went out to meet him but the Ware man squared the ball past him to Frazer John who had a gaping goal in front of him only to be denied by a superb interception from the United man who slide in to deflect the shot wide of the target.
Around the twenty minute mark United went close again themselves, Kunle Otudeko found Toby Little on the left side, his cross was collected by Lee Barney just inside the area but his low shot whistled just the wrong side of the post.
Nathan Webb, wearing a United shirt for the first time in almost eight years, and Barney combined well to set up a shooting chance for Otudeko who was also just off target. Play switched ends a few minutes later and a brace of shots by Brandon Adams were seen off by the United defence, the second again by Asafu-Adjaye who having blocked the effort completed the clearance himself.
Four minutes from the break rather than the United defence, it was the woodwork that kept the home side level, Cowley's 20 yard free-kick going over off the top of the United crossbar.
There was still time for a couple of chances for the home side before the break. Otudeko won the ball on the right and cut inside only for his drive to go just the wrong side of the upright and in stoppage time Webb played the ball to Otudeko on the right, his centre was met by Barney but he couldn't keep his header down and we went in scoreless at the interval.
The second period saw United start quicker with an early opening being created by Otudeko who played the ball up the right flank to Barney, his low centre being met by Little who saw his shot blocked straight into Onokwai before flying over the goal.
Two minutes later United had another good chance as Little and Onokwai exchanged passes on the left with Little pulling the ball back to Bridges who appeared to slip as he shot from 12 yards and the ball flew over the top.
With United's defence holding a strong line to protect their goalkeeper, it was United substitute George Bennett who sparked the next opening as he played an excellent cross-field pass to Josh Chamberlain who in turn moved to the edge of the area and hit a shot that Kitscha pushed around the post. The corner kick was played in to the middle by Little, the Ware defence cleared but only as far as Bennett who fired in a shot that Chamberlain flicked past Kitscha for United's league goal number 100 and more importantly, the lead in the match (above left, Josh far left, ball hitting the Ware net).
The final 20 minutes saw the visitors have more than an equal share of possession but the United back line repelled virtually anything they could throw at them, the best opening coming on 75 minutes when Tom Bruno picked out Adu with a free-kick but the striker headed over.
With the United defence in command at one end, chances still came forth at the other. Bridges found Barney on the left side, his strongly hit cross just evading a sliding Elliot Benyon at the far post and just a minute or two later Little collected the ball on the run and fired goalwards from 20 yards forcing Kitscha to push his effort around the post.
In between the aforementioned chances for United, the visitors had a good chance to haul themselves level when an offside looking Tommy Wade ploughed through the middle and fed Adu in the box, he took a touch before shooting only for a well timed Joe Wilson block to take any power off the effort with Burns pouncing on the loose ball.
United comfortably saw out the closing minutes to move a game nearer to the title and in doing so retain their 100% home record, scoring that elusive 100th goal in the process.
Report by Kevin Watts.
Photos by Montimagemedia ©.
Bottom right photo: Duncan Culley receiving his signed hat-trick ball from the Hertford Town game from club volunteers Neil Mason (left) and Kev Taylor (right).
United Man of the Match: Ed Asafu-Adjaye.
Print the Teamsheet: Here.
Frazer John 
