A poor opening to the second half by Hayes & Yeading United saw Garry Haylock's side lose the lead and slip to a fourth consecutive defeat by conceding twice within ten minutes of the re-start.

With Adam Bygrave becoming ill prior to the game, the Gaffer was left short of centre-backs with Charlie Wassmer also nursing a knock, this led to Lewis Ferrell partnering Tom Cadmore at the heart of the defence while James Mulley filled in at right-back. The only other change to the side that faced York was Michael Malcolm replacing Andy Yiadom.

United started lively enough and in just the sixth minute Malcolm sprayed the ball left to Ahmed Deen who fired in a cross that Liam Enver-Marum got his head to but could get no power and Exiles keeper Glyn Thompson easily gathered.

Just before the 20 minute mark a first real surge forwards from the visitors almost brought success. Craig Reid playing Charlie Henry down the right side, his near post cross being met by Danny Rose at full stretch and his effort went just wide of the upright.

A couple of minutes later a Ferrell shot from the edge of the box was deflected wide and just out of the reach of Deen for United while at the other end Eddie Odhiambo, Henry and Rose combined with the latter's shot on the turn being well saved by Lee Harrison in the United goal.

Chances were coming at both ends at this stage. Deen picked off a loose ball on the left and picked out Jamie Hand on the edge of the box, his instant volley going agonisingly wide of Thompson's goal and at the other end an attempted Ferrell clearance cannoned back of Robbie Matthews right in front of goal and the home side were indebted to Harrison's reactions as he quickly dived to smother the ball.

With six minutes to play and United in the ascendancy the deadlock was finally broken. Mulley played a ball from right to left that Deen collected, his low centre seemed to evade the defender's legs and fall nicely to Malcolm who forced the ball home from close range (being celebrated below right).

The half closed with United a goal to the good and in charge of proceedings, sadly we seemed to stay asleep for the opening ten minutes of the second half and were hit with not one, but two sucker punches. Less than two minutes had elapsed and Newport were level as several attempts to clear the ball came to nothing, a swinging cross from the left was met by Reid who flicked a header towards the far corner, Harrison got a good hand to the ball at full stretch but could not keep it out.

Minutes later Ferrell came to the rescue as he got in the way of a little dink from Reid that looked to be heading for the back of the net, unfortunately this was a short lived reprieve as Henry swung in a deep 55th minute corner that found his skipper Gary Warren arriving unmolested at the far post to head home.

From then on it was an uphill battle for United and despite ending the game with four strikers on the pitch Thompson in the visitors goal was not forced into a save. Having just gone behind, Robbie Matthews used his large stature to hold Cadmore at bay before being thwarted by Harrison and then just after the hour mark another Newport set piece saw a header from a corner blocked on the line and Reid hooked the ball over from 6 yards.

Still with the Exiles, Foley blocked a Ferrell clearance and advanced into the box before finding Reid who volleyed over and the final real chance of the game came on 78 minutes when a quick Henry throw found Reid, he advanced into the area and picked out Foley but once again Harrison stood firm.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Michael Malcolm.

Highlights courtesy of FC Video here.