Hayes & Yeading’s home opener for 2024 ended in a goalless stalemate as neither United’s Jacob Adams nor visiting Walton & Hersham stopper Tyla Dickinson were really tested. Manager Mark Molesley threw his two newest recruits straight into the squad with experienced left-back Lewis Kinsella starting the game and Ferdinand Okoh taking a place on the bench, additionally Michael Fernandes returned to the side while it was a first SKYex appearance for recent recruit Louis Dunne. An early half chance for the visitors saw the ball arrive at the feet of John Gilbert who spotted Jacob Adams a little off his line and tried to chip him but his effort sailed well wide of the far post. For the next 30 minutes or so the game really took on a midfield quest with neither side really applying the sort of pressure that could lead to the scorers being troubled, and for United this was not aided by losing in-form striker Ayo Faniyan and skipper Sanmi Odelusi to injury in just over half an hour, the replacements being Norman Wabo and Ferdinand Okoh. In fact the next noteworthy goal attempt was not until the fortieth minute when Wabo collected the ball on the edge of the Swans box, fed it left to Michael Fernandes but his effort was deflected wide of the visitors goal. Three minutes later an opening for the Swans saw Maliq Morris try his luck from the corner of the United area, his shot was blocked but only as far as former United loanee Stan Flaherty who fired wide of the target without troubling Adams in the United goal. In stoppage time United were inches from taking the lead as Okoh played the ball wide to Fernandes, his driven cross being met by a sliding Omar Rowe but his effort was inches too high and the half closed out with chances limited and unsurprisingly goalless. The second 45 was to have a couple more chances than the first but the crucial breakthrough never came for either side. Six minutes after the resumption Nana Owusu chipped the ball across the United area to an unmarked Gilbert, his effort went past Adams’ dive only to be cleared off the line by a well placed Lewis Kinsella. Six minutes later Owusu was the recipient of a pass from Jake Frailing but his driven effort just cleared the United goal and again Adams was untested although he was needed a couple of minutes later when Owusu and Gilbert again combined to the left of the United box, Gilbert firing in a shot for the near post that Adams got fully behind to block before grabbing the loose ball quickly. United went as close as they had all afternoon on 66 minutes when Louis Dunne played an excellent ball over the visitors defence to Fernandes who saw his first time shot tipped around the post by former United loanee Tyla Dickinson. The final ten minutes brought about a couple of half chances for United. Firstly Norman Wabo got his head to a cross from the left that Dickinson gathered comfortably and right on 90 minutes Wabo fed the ball to debutant Okoh but his 20 yard shot was also easily dealt with by Dickinson and the game closed with a point apiece. Report by Kevin Watts. United Man of the Match: Paul Field. Photos by Anthony Mills. Print the Teamsheet: Here.