Hayes & Yeading suffered a cruel defeat at Silver Jubilee Park as hosts Hendon struck deep into additional time to take the spoils by the odd goal in seven on a wet New Years Day 2024. Manager Mark Molesley introduced new loanee Louis Dunne to the starting line-up while central defender Tarik Moore-Azille got a rare start against his former club. Things could not have got off to a worse start for struggling United as with just four minutes played a defensive clearance struck Paul Field at such an angle that the ball looped backwards over Jacob Adams for a most unfortunate own goal to give the Greens an early lead. A few minutes later United’s pre-match planning went awry as Moore-Azille went down injured and with just nine minutes played he was forced off to be replaced by Amos Nasha which meant a re-shaping of the side. United did however start to push on looking for an equaliser. With 12 minutes played Ayo Faniyan ran at the Hendon defence from left of centre before seeing his drive crash into the side netting of Bradley House’s goal. Ten minutes later Luke Gambin played a corner in from the left that was met in the centre on the volley by Nasha but sadly his effort was wide of the target. In the 26th minute the hosts advanced into the United box with Billy Leonard collecting the ball and firing off a shot that Adams was fully behind and just a minute later United deservedly drew level as Faniyan burst into the Greens area only to be tripped by Dave Diedhiou and referee Smith pointed to the spot. Cole Brown stepped up to the 12 yard mark and duly sent House the wrong way. Just past the half hour mark United thought they had taken the lead as Faniyan again broke through the Hendon defence, fired the ball past House only for Ethan Light, who played for United during pre-season, to slide the ball superbly off the line. Faniyan was not to be denied his second United goal however as he collected an excellent Paul Field past down the right wing before outpacing his marker, moving past House’s dive and firing in via the inside of the upright to put United ahead. Both teams had a chance to add to the goals tally as the half time interval approached. Firstly, the Greens moved forwards menacingly on the left with Hamza Semakula, his centre picking out Joe White six yards from goal but he was to be denied by a superb point blank save from Adams. A minute was left in the half as Faniyan found Luke Gambin in the Greens area, his driven shot being well blocked en route to goal by a sliding Diedhiou and the half closed out with United ahead. As you would expect the hosts came out all guns blazing after the break looking to knock off United’s lead quickly. Greens skipper White collected the ball in the United area just three minutes after the re-start but he was denied by an Omar Rowe block, the midfielder playing in an unaccustomed left wing-back role in the second half. Within a minute Adams made a fine diving save to deny Nico Muir and when Rowe’s clearance of the loose ball only found Sam Adenola, the former Harrow defender fired well wide of the target. Just before the hour mark United moved forwards looking for a third. Skipper Sanmi Odelusi and Faniyan combined well with the latter laying the ball off to Nasha but his 20 yard effort was wide of the target. As we hit the hour mark disaster struck for United as the Greens went from being a goal adrift to being a goal ahead in the space of 60 seconds courtesy of a Muir brace. His first and the equaliser came after the ball bounced around in the United box and with the defence unable to clear, the striker placed his shot wide of Adams into the far corner. Within a minute he had another from close range as again the ball seemed to just want to run around in the United area before being poked home from close range. With just over 20 minutes remaining Adams pushed away a long range Hendon effort and then a minute later we were tied at 3-3. Debutant Louis Dunne played the ball up the left sideline to Rowe who duly picked out Gambin in the centre, he took aim a curled an excellent shot into the top corner that despite getting a hand to it House could not keep out. With ten minutes left Adenola found White in the centre, he controlled the ball nicely and got away a shot that only just cleared the United goal and a few minutes later Gambin’s cross from the left at the other end found an on-coming Odelusi but his effort flew wide of the target. Following an earlier injury to Jerry Wiltshire a lengthy period of stoppage time was to be played and four minutes into it United went looking for a winner as substitute Norman Wabo collected the ball on the edge of the box and hit a fierce drive that House did well to push up in the air and then had the luck that the ball dropped down into his safe arms. Three minutes later Muir again stuck a dagger in the hearts of the United faithful as he found space on the left of the United area and fired a low drive across Adams into the far corner to complete his own hat-trick and a new year maximum points for the Greens as United continue to look for that bit of luck to go their way as we look to pull away from the dreaded drop-zone.
Report by Kevin Watts. United Man of the Match: Ayo Faniyan.