Despite Paul Hughes available squad being down to bare bones on Tuesday evening a point was earned at the SKYex against lowly Beaconsfield Town with a second half Scott Donnelly strike cancelling out a first half Jordan Ajanlekoko header.

The first half in all honesty was a real non-event with just the Rams goal and a couple of other efforts hitting the notebook.

The first opening came in just the second minute and sadly was not the precursor for what was to follow in the first 45. Connor Toomey intercepted the ball on the edge of his own area before playing the ball to Scott Donnelly who helped it on to Ogo Obi, the United striker playing the ball forwards into the path of Fumnaya Shomotun who hit a low shot from just inside the box only to find the side netting of the visitors goal.

Twenty minutes later United had the ball in the net when Shomotun fed debutant Jamie Riley on the right wing, the defenders cross being volleyed home by Obi only for the strike to be cancelled out by a raised assistant’s flag for offside.

Three minutes later United were caught cold at the other end as the Rams took the lead. Louis Stead collected a pass on the right side and crossed deep to an unmarked Jordan Ajanlekoko and the midfielder planted a free-header across Jack Smith into the far corner of the United net.

That was it really for goal attempts in the first half, the only other matter of note being a yellow card shown to former United man Nathan Webb, when many thought it should be red, for what appeared to be a two footed tackle on Obi as the United man attempted to push forwards down the left flank around the half hour mark.

Manager Paul Hughes made a change at the break with fit-again Hassan Jalloh replacing Riley which meant a switch to full-back for Gabriel Piorkowski. Within a minute of the re-start the aforementioned pair combined, with the aid of a defensive block, Piorkowski’s shot from the edge of the ox was blocked to Jalloh who saw his curling effort swing wide of the post.

With 53 minutes played the visitors broke away through the pacey James Ewington who advanced into the United area but having been chased down by Callum Buckley, the United defender’s presence was enough to force a weak strike from the in-form striker that Smith dealt with comfortably.

Smith was again in action either side of the hour mark to keep the deficit to a single goal. First up for the Rams Stead collected the ball on the edge of the area, his swerving shot was blocked out by Smith but only as far as Ajanlekoko but thankfully for United the ball struck the Rams goalscorer at pace and rolled out for a goal-kick.

Soon after Charlie Losasso slid the ball to Ewington in the box, his shot on the turn being pushed away by Smith with the United defence completing the clearance.

After these two quick fire attempts, it was United’s turn to go on the offensive as just a minute later Donnelly found Shomotun on the left side, his deep centre was knocked back into the middle by Obi with Jalloh forcing a low diving save from Rams stopper Myles Bowman.

Just a minute later though United were level as Piorkowski brought the ball forwards in the right channel before sliding a perfect pass in to Donnelly who took a touch just inside the box before firing past Bowman into the bottom corner of the Rams net.

With the second half throwing up a much more entertaining affair chances continued at both ends. On 67 minutes a centre by the visitors was only partially cleared to substitute Jon-Jo Bates but his snapshot was held by Smith and just a couple of minutes later at the other end of the pitch, Obi’s cross was collected beyond the far post by Jalloh who cut inside and fired toward goal only for his shot to be deflected wide by Rams defender Jerome Eccleston.

The final fifteen threw up chances for the visitors but little for United. Losasso broke through the offside trap only to be chased down by Aaron McCreadie who got in an excellent block tackle to take his shot wide and then six minutes later the same player tried his luck from 25 yards, this time Smith was on hand to push the ball around the post.

With a couple of minutes to go United history was made as 16 year-old Jamie Hanlon made his United debut, replacing Obi, thus seeing him break Luke Bersey’s record as the youngest ever player to make a Hayes & Yeading United first team appearance by 85 days.

The only chance in stoppage time again fell to Losasso who charged into the United area only for his shot to be blocked away by a well timed Buckley tackle and it was honours even at the end and in all honesty it was probably the visitors who went away less happy with the point than United.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Gabriel Piorkowski.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.