UNITED LOSE OUT ON GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
A SLOPPY opening seven minutes cost Hayes & Yeading as Ashford Town won 2-1 and the top four all lost, meaning a lost opportunity for Paul Hughes’s side.
The visitors hit United early on with the first goal coming after 90 seconds as James Cottee’s volley beat Zaki Oualah.
Five minutes later the visitors doubled their lead, Oualah pushing an effort out but as the ball was hacked off the line it struck the boot of Romario Jonas and rebounded into the net.
United got back into the game through top-scorer Manny Duku after Toby Little curled a free-kick to the far post, Duncan Culley headed back across goal and Duku poked the ball home. And United could have levelled just before half time when Little headed wide of a gaping net from a tight angle.
After the restart, Ashford came out strongly and almost scored a third when Jack Beadle raced through on goal but Oualah was equal to his effort.
And United’s half ended in frustration as Scott Donnelly’s shot from 20 yards went a fraction wide for Ashford to claim an upset at the SKYEx Community Stadium.
Hayes remain fifth, still in the play-off places, and next face a trip to Southern League East Division leaders AFC Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday.
United manager Hughes said: “If you read any scouting reports on us, they will usually note that we start games very fast and try and get the job done early. The total opposite happened [against Ashford]. We were asleep for the first 10 minutes and conceded two very poor goals, in terms of our marking.
“In our previous games we had defended set-pieces extremely well, so it’s baffling as to why we switched off so carelessly.
“When Duku scored to get a goal back for us, we found our feet and started to dictate the play. We created enough chances to draw level and potentially win the game but we couldn’t convert.
“Our reactions all over the pitch were not up to the standards we had previously set. We simply didn’t get close enough to the opposition and dominate physically to earn the right to play our football.
“I’m hoping the players have taken on board the fact they need to bring their A game to every match we play. They need to treat every game like a cup final if they want success. It takes a certain type of player to adopt that relentless mentality because it’s not easy to do.”
After two recent defeats, Ickenham Under-nines were back to winning ways with a 3-2 win over TFA Totteridge.
Totteridge made a good start but Ickenham grew into the game and took a 3-0 lead with goals from Sebastion Lopez, Luke Atkinson and Ollie Hunt.
Two late goals from Totteridge in the final minutes made it a closer game but Ickenham held out for the win.