It was a very professional performance by Hayes and Yeading that earnt all three points meaning a maximum of 12 from the last 4 games.
The damage was done in the first half by Francis Amartey whose brace was enough to see the points sealed to ensure the charge for the play-offs continued.
It was the United’s third long trip to the South West in two weeks and another three points from the long journey, clearly the M4 agrees with Paul Hughes' side at the moment.
Hayes & Yeading were in control of this game from the off and it took the best part of 20 minutes before Jack Smith even touched the ball in goal such was their dominance.
It was the midfield of Omar Rowe, James Clark and Karl Cunningham that had control of the game providing the ammunition for the ever-willing Manny Duku and Amartey to run the channels. However, it was Sanmi Odelsui who really caught the eye in a surprising deep midfield role providing protection to the back four and getting United moving in a positive direction every time he touched the ball, not bad for a player who normally 
plays on the wing.
United showed their intentions in just the second minute, Clark’s ball down the right channel found Duku whose pass to Rowe saw him in a great position inside the box and bearing down on goal and it took a good save from home 'keeper Adam Forster to deny him.
A minute later he denied Rowe again from inside the box when the stopper took enough off the ball to allow home defender Sam Boulton to clear off the line comfortably. Clark nearly opened the scoring in the 13th minute as Forster came out of his goal to beat Duku to a throughball, his clearance only found Clark who from just inside the Yate half fired just wide of the goal with an inventive attempt from some distance out.
Amartey was virtually impossible for the hosts defence to hold up, his power and speed mixed with his skill will be giving the Yate defenders nightmares for weeks to come and it was no surprise when he opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, as he ran onto Cunningham’s ball down the right channel and despite the a physical challenge of the home defender, Joe Low, he held this off and raced into the penalty area and fired low into the far corner of the net.
As you would expect from a relegation threatened team the hosts came into the game after the goal and an overhead kick from Jordan Williams took a deflection which forced Smith to turn the ball over his crossbar in the 28th minute and five minutes later Smith had to be alert to save from Yate’s Bristol City Loanee Sam Bell from an acute angle.
With Yate looking to apply more pressure and the Hayes and Yeading defence holding them at bay Jack Smith being called into action was few and far between, it allowed the visitors to play on the counter-attack and the pace of Duku and Amartey was lethal. It was the front combination that created a second for Amartey in the 34th minute, as United cleared the ball to Duku and his pass found Amartey who this time held off the challenge of Jake Lee, was able to go around Forster and from a tight angle he was able to fire into the empty net
Yate huffed and puffed in an attempt to get back into the game but really only forced one good save from Smith, as he denied Asya Corrick, to show for their efforts as United comfortably saw the 
half out.
Leading 2-0 at half time and with control in midfield and the pace, power and skill of Duku and Amartey upfront, the visitors were able to professionally see this game out. Callum Buckley and Matt Hall both playing well dealing with everything thrown at them which meant the visitors were effectively kept at arm’s length. Any attempts from Yate to attack wide were effectively snubbed out by the impressive Jake Sheppard and Jack Williams.
The best chance of the second half came three minutes from the end of normal time, Duku did well down the right and crossed to unmarked Rowe who fired just wide when it seemed like he would score the goal his performance deserved.
Report by Nick Griffith.
Photos by Ray Peploe.
United Man of the Match: Francis Amartey.
