Hayes & Yeading - Match Report

By Pete Martin

For the 2nd successive Saturday, a last-gasp winner saw Salisbury FC secure victory, this time at home to Hayes and Yeading United. Manager Brian Dutton made 2 changes to his team; Sam Ashton and Ryan Penny coming in for Dan Fitchett and Tom Bragg.

It was a fairly quiet opening to the game, but on 10 minutes that changed as the Whites took the lead. Charlie Gunson got away down the right-hand side and his cross-in saw Noah Coppin get across his marker and flick a header beyond keeper Jacob Adams and into the net. Going behind stung Hayes into action and 3 minutes later Charles Stallard put a left foot effort over the top before on 16 minutes only the crossbar denied Omar Rowe after a fine shot from distance. It looked like an equaliser may have been coming and that proved to be the case on 21 minutes. A long ball straight down the middle of the pitch saw Samuel Faniyan burst in behind and slot the ball home from just inside the box.

Hayes continued to pressure and on 27 minutes Michael Fernandes turned in the box but could only shoot straight at Josh Gould, before 3 minutes later they hit the bar for the 2nd time in the match as Steve Ngunga curled a left-footed shot against the woodwork from outside the area. As the game ticked towards half time Salisbury had a couple of half chances to regain the lead; Coppin had a weak shot straight at Adams, Jamar Smith shot wide after driving forward from left back, before on 38 minutes only a good block from the Hayes defence stopped Josh Hedges from scoring from inside the box. As the game went into time added on the Whites had their best chance since the goal, Ashton agonisingly inches away from being able to reach the ball at the back post after good work from Hedges and Gunson. There was just time for Gould to touch wide an effort from Ngunga to ensure the teams went in level pegging.

Images by Michael Berkeley

The 2nd half saw Hayes come flying out of the blocks and they had 3 good chances in the opening 7 minutes of the half. Firstly Fernandes headed into the side netting from close in before Rowe shot over after the Salisbury defence failed to fully clear the ball, before on 52 minutes Fernandes managed to slide the ball wide of the post from just 3 yards out. It took the Whites until the 68th minute for a first real sight of Adams’s goal; Sido Jombati curling a free kick a foot wide from just outside the box. On 75 minutes a Hedges shot from distance was comfortably held by Adams and, with the Whites ending the game stronger, the Hayes defence needed to be alert to scramble away Hedges ball into the box as the game ticked into time added on. It was all Salisbury and substitute Fitchett headed over the top before Adams produced a fine save to tip Tom Bragg’s long-range effort over the top. With it looking like the teams would have to settle for a point apiece, a final penalty box scramble saw Hayes twice clear the ball from off the line before substitute Wayne Robinson smashed the ball home from close in for his 1st goal for the club on only his 2nd appearance.