Hayes & Yeading’s six pointer away at bottom side Harrow Borough saw the spoils shared as the hosts found a second half equaliser after Ayo Faniyan had put United ahead just before the break.
An early chance for the hosts saw a long throw-in from James Gurteen being partially cleared by the United defence, the ball dropping to Ronny Mfinda who fired it back from 25 yards only just clearing the United crossbar although Jacob Adams had it covered all the way. In the 15th minute another half chance for the hosts came as a Mfinda corner was played into the mix, Reece Cameron headed the ball vertically but it still needed heading off the line by a well placed Will Salmon. From there United started to take control of proceedings and with 22 minutes played Omar Rowe played the ball in from the left to Ayo Faniyan, he tried to turn but the ball was taken off his toes but ran to Ronan Silva who saw his first time shot deflected just wide of the Borough goal. United’s best move thus far came five minutes later as Silva drove in a low centre from the right that Faniyan got to first but his shot went wide of the far post. As we passed the half hour mark Silva headed inches wide from a Rowe centre before the deadlock was finally broken in the 39th minute. Rowe played the ball down the left to Steve Ngunga, his inch perfect cross picking out Faniyan who got in front of his marker to power a header past Tyler Tobin in the hosts’ goal. And the half closed out without further incident and United a goal to the good. Things were not to go to plan in the second half sadly as the Borough defence took the upper hand over the United attack. Just before the hour mark, without much to talk about in the opening 10+ minutes of the half leading up to it, the hosts scraped an equaliser. A corner was played into the centre, a defenders flick took the ball beyond the far post whereby it was recycled low into the six yard box, a goalbound poke was cleared off the line initially with Cameron quickest to the loose ball to stab it into the United net. With United having a lot of possession but being allowed little penetration by the home defence, the next half chance came in the 69th minute when Gurteen tried his luck from fully 30 yards but the ball swung harmlessly wide of the United goal. United did go close to edging ahead with seven minutes remaining when Paul Field and Silva combined well down the right side with the latter crossing to Faniyan inside the box, his shot on the turn being just too high to seriously trouble Tobin. In the third minute of added time disaster nearly came through United’s own making when a defensive pass was played straight to Borough substitute Sahid Nallo who was clear on goal with only Adams to beat but the youngster’s shot from the edge of the box cleared United’s crossbar and we brought home a point which although better than none at all it’s three pointers we need as we look to put the worst league winless streak in the clubs history to bed and push up the table away from the drop zone.
Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Anthony Mills. United Man of the Match: Marvel Ekpiteta.