Hayes & Yeading’s top of the table clash at Taunton Town on Saturday saw Paul Hughes’ side come home with a hard earned point from a 1-1 draw that sees both sides drop a place in the table with just three points now separating the top four as we head into the final five weeks of the campaign. In front of an almost four figure crowd the travelling United faithful were given an early lift when in just the 6th minute Moses Emmanuel, on his return from injury, set the ball off to Omar Rowe who played an instant inch perfect pass through the hosts defence to Francis Amartey and he coolly slotted the ball past Will Buse in the home goal to give United the lead. The hosts came looking to pull level quickly and within minutes and a break into the United area saw Ross Stearn lay the ball off to Toby Holmes, his angled shot being turned around the post by Ravan Constable. The resultant corner found Joe Guest but his downwards header was an easy grab for the United ‘keeper. United were soon back on the front foot, Emmanuel’s deft flick took the ball to Amartey who found Shayon Harrison on the edge of the six yard box however the striker was crowded out by the defence and shortly after an interchange between Rowe and Emmanuel saw the former drive the ball from the edge of the box, just clearing the Peacocks goal. At the opposite end a nice ball saw Holmes collect in the righthand side of the United box but under challenge from Jack Williams he blazed over and United did well to survive on 32 minutes as Guest found Jared Lewington on the right side, his low shot being blocked wide by Ben Frempah. The resultant corner kick caused mayhem in the United box, Nick Grimes header was blocked on the line as was Stearn’s follow-up, the loose ball ran to Holmes who chipped it back into the middle where Stearn tried an overhead kick that caught Williams in the face and play was halted for a free-kick to United. As we hit 45 minutes played a hopeful ball up the left line from midfield saw Constable come rushing from his goal and with the United defenders leaving the ball to him, Holmes nipped in to take possession before calmly rolling the ball into the vacant United net. In stoppage time another chance for the hosts saw a driven shot from the left corner of the area well held by Constable at the foot of the post and the half closed out with both title challengers having a goal apiece. With the wind now favouring the home side, a brilliant strike on 52 minutes from Guest saw an equally brilliant save from Constable with the United stopper going full stretch to tip the ball onto the crossbar before it came down on the roof of the net. Just before the hour mark a cross from the right saw Lewington rise against Constable with the Peacocks man getting possession of the ball only for a combination of Frempah and Constable to block his close range effort before the United ‘keeper grabbed the loose ball. With just a quarter of the game remaining a defensive slip by the home side in their own box saw Rowe nick the ball and set it back to Amos Nasha but his strike was too high to trouble Buse. United were certainly to finish the stronger. Josh Payne went close from a free-kick just outside the box after Emmanuel had been unceremoniously chopped down by Guest and with eleven minutes left the home side stayed level courtesy of a deflection and the woodwork as Rowe’s effort from 20 yards took a deflection that sent Buse the wrong way before clipping the outside of the post and going wide. Soon after Emmanuel laid on a chance for substitute Kadell Daniel but his shot was inches wide of the target from the edge of the area and with nothing hitting the notes in the final ten the game closed out with honours even between two of the best sides in the division. Report by Kevin Watts.