UNITED'S SURVIVAL BID TAKES A HIT
THREE PENALTIES AWARDED AS H&Y ARE HIT FOR SIX
A DISASTROUS day for Hayes & Yeading United saw their hopes of avoiding relegation take another dive as they were hammered 6-0 at Biggleswade Town.
The mid-table hosts made it four games without victory for their struggling visitors in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier, despite them having gone close to opening the scoring in the 14th minute when a long Callum Adebiyi throw-in was headed up in the air by former Arsenal defender Gavin Hoyte, the ball dropping to Ramone Rose who saw his volley go just wide.
Minutes later United were controversially behind as Robbie Parker broke into the United box, Darren Locke slid in to tackle and appeared to get the ball only for the referee to point to the spot. Rhys Hoenes coolly sent Danny Boness the wrong way.
Boness did well to prevent Hoenes making it 2-0 from a header while Michael Richens threatened only to fire into the side netting as Hayes & Yeading struggled and lost Rose to injury midway through the first half.
United threatened to level early in the second half, as a neat stepover by David Hutton saw the ball reach Dylan Kearney and his instant lay-off found Graeme Montgomery but his shot was held by home keeper Ian Brown.
After a bright spell of 15 minutes, the hosts took control and never threatenened to let go.
Richens went close again from distance before Waders substitute Tony Burnett collected the ball on the edge of the United box and Tom Broadbent’s slip allowed the striker time and space to fire across Boness.
Minutes later it was three. Richens riding three tackles before being felled in the box by Soloman Sambou with the referee again pointing to the spot. This time Boness guessed correctly and was fingertips away from keeping out the second Hoenes penalty.
It proved a temporary lull and within two minutes the ball was on the spot for a third time, Hoenes racing clear only to be brought down by Boness as the winger beat the United keeper to the ball. Hoenes duly completed a hat-trick of penalties with a cheeky chip up the middle.
With 15 minutes to go and United in disarray, a poor pass was intercepted by Craig Daniel, who let fly from 25 yards and saw the deflected ball fly into the top corner. A rare United sortie saw Kearney get his head to a Callum Adebiyi cross only to head wide before the Waders hit number six. Richens was twice denied by excellent Boness blocks only for the ball to drop to Burnett a few yards out and he back-heeled the ball past the defenders on the line to end a miserable day for United, who must regroup before Friday’s crucial home encounter with St Neots Town.
Wealdstone’s 1-1 Vanarama South draw with Chelmsford City stretched their unbeaten run to 11 matches but saw them slip further off the play-off zone.
The result was the more creditable given the fourth-placed Clarets went ahead in the third minute when Louie Theophanous unleashed an unstoppable low drive past Jonathan North from the edge of the area. He had a chance to double his tally inside 10 minutes when Josh Hill squared a header across goal only for the striker to nod over.
Chelmsford keeper Ross Fitzsimons was called into action midway through the first half, denying Ricky Wellard’s excellent effort and then White’s follow-up.
Stones’ North superbly denied Mark Haines’ bullet header, tipping it onto the crossbar.
The second half belonged to Wealdstone, who showed more fluency and attacking intent with Crawley Town’s Ariyan Tajbakhsh dominant in midfield.
What looked a harsh penalty – yet replays later vindicated – was awarded as a Wellard shot from 20 yards was deflected into Hill’s faliling arm, referee Rob MasseyEllis pointing to the spot and Joe White tucking it away.
Chelmsford rallied after that but were thwarted by North’s fine display, not least when he brilliantly tipped away an effort from Theophanous.
Wealdstone had to battle back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Concord Rangers on Monday night, needing a late Matty Whichelow goal which he blasted in from 25 yards. It cancelled out Taylor Miles’s 30-yard screamer.