Hayes & Yeading cast aside Saturdays underwhelming performance and bounced back on Tuesday night with the side showing the kind of spirit and resilience that appeared to have been missing of late, earnings three points with a hard fought 1-0 win over Chesham United at Holloways Park.

An early chance for the visitors, whose starting XI contained former United men Toby Little and Darren Purse, saw a combination between Adam Martin and Dave Pearce on the left result in the ball being fed across the box to the waiting Drew Roberts but he sliced his shot wildly and it went out towards the corner flag.

With both defences starting on top, it was not until the midway point in the half that another clear opening came, Roberts picking up a weak clearance by the United defence and smashing a 20 yard drive that was superbly tipped over by a flying Louis Wells.

On the half hour mark Hayes & Yeading took the lead. Sam Humphreys collected the ball wide on the right and set off towards the byline, having beaten Mat Mitchell-King for pace, he lofted the ball over 'keeper Ashlee Jones who was guarding his near post and picked out an unmarked Melford Simpson at the far post who stooped low to head home his first League goal for the club.

With chance few and far between in the first period, the next did not come until stoppage time when a Toby Little diagonal pass evaded 17 year-old debutant James Taylor and dropped to Dave Pearce who fired weakly from the corner of the box and Wells gathered easily as referee Read brought the half to a close with the home side a goal to the good.

The visitors were to have the better of the second half but United dug in and kept them at bay despite having to re-arrange the back line shortly after the break when Tom Broadbent was forced off through an injury received in the first half, Colin Mugoya moving into defence with Yannis Ambroisine taking his place in midfield.

Ten minutes in to the second period and a free-kick was played up to Chesham striker Brad Wadkins, he controlled the ball and sent Roberts through against Wells, the striker beating both 'keeper and goal as the ball went inches wide of the far post.

For United, a fine cross field ball by Taylor was knocked down by Simpson to Adam Everitt who fired wide from the edge of the box and just three minutes later the visitors had the ball in the United net when a Dave Pearce cross from the left saw a header strike a post before being forced home by Mitchell-King only for the raised flag of the referees assistant to chalk off the strike for a two handed push in the back on a United defender.

As the game entered its final quarter hour, Simpson chested the ball down to Dylan Kearney who saw his shot from the edge of the box saved by Jones and from this a quick break to the other end saw a cross from the left side being met by a diving James Harper who thankfully for United saw his header go straight to Wells.

With seven minutes remaining, a break upfield by Simpson saw the powerful striker outpace his Darren Purse before finding Everitt in the centre, his shot under pressure from Adam Martin being hit straight at Jones who blocked it away to safety. In stoppage time it was Wells who was needed again to keep United's lead intact, the stopper pushing away a snap shot from the edge of the box by Ryan Blake and with a just couple of scares including a mass goalmouth scramble that Harper cleared from, the rest of a lengthy spell of stoppage time was navigated safely and Mickey Lewis's side had their second win of the campaign as we head into Saturdays Emirates FA Cup tie.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Sam Humphreys.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.