UNITED EARN VALUABLE POINT IN CHALFONT CLASH
TWO goals in the opening five minutes saw Hayes & Yeading United FC claim a point in a 1-1 draw at Chalfont St Peter.
The hosts struck first, when Victor Osobu’s shot was saved by Zaki Oualah but Louis Stead fired in the rebound.
However less than a minute later United were level, as Toby Little’s cross was met by a powerful header from Manny Duku, who scored his 31st goal of the season.
Duku almost gave United the lead when he met Scott Donnelly’s free-kick with a lofted shot and his follow-up header was cleared off the line.
In the second half United had the ball in the net twice but both efforts were deemed offside.
A minute after the second offside effort Chalfont were awarded a penalty after a lapse in concentration from the United defence but Osobu drilled his penalty over as the game fizzled out.
United remain fourth in the Southern League’s East division.
United manager Paul Hughes said: “A point away from home against a top-six side is always a good result.
“The conditions were tough and the pitch was bobbly and not conducive to any type of fluid football. Taking that into consideration, it was a point well earned.
“They had pace, a strong centreforward and a back four that just stayed in place, which made life very difficult for us. You could see they didn’t want to lose the game.
“We were definitely not at our best but to come away with a positive result when playing below par is a sign of a good team.
“[There is] lots of football still to be played and we now have a nice rhythm to our game, which is giving us a degree of consistency at the right time.
“We want to bring that consistency into a tough trip away to the league leaders,” added Hughes ahead of last night’s planned trip to AFC Rushden & Diamonds.