Hayes & Yeading’s run of consecutive victories was brought to an abrupt halt at the SKYex on Saturday as a somewhat negative AFC Dunstable side took the spoils courtesy of a 2-0 victory thanks in the main to an excellent display of goalkeeping from visiting custodian Jamie Head.

Manager Paul Hughes made three changes from the side that demolished Arlesey a week previous, Danny Boness returned to the club between the sticks while Scott Donnelly and Keano Robinson swopped places on the bench with Spyros Mentis and Ryan Kinnane respectively.

United started in the ascendancy, creating a good chance to open the scoring in just the fifth minute. Toby Little sprayed the ball left to Ismael Ehui, the striker advancing into the box before hitting a cross-come-shot that just evaded a sliding Manny Duku in the centre.

Six minutes later, the OD’s ‘keeper Jamie Head pulled off the first, and probably best, of his saves of the afternoon as a Scott Donnelly free-kick was flicked on to Tom Smith, the United skippers volley being superbly kept out by a one handed reaction save by Head.

After having most of the possession in the opening 20 minutes, United were hit with a sucker punch on 22 minutes as the visitors took the lead in pretty much their first serious attack. Christian Tavernier fired in a corner kick from the left, Bill Morgan tried an overhead effort on the bouncing ball which took it to BJ Christie near the far post, his initial effort was blocked out on the line by Adam Cash only for the ball to go straight back to the striker who fired home.

United continued to push forwards, now looking for an equaliser. Laste Dombaxe advanced towards the box and hit a low drive that Head spilled, Little arrived first but was denied by the quick reactions of a grounded Head who blocked his effort wide of the target. Head was to deny Little again minutes later, the stopper spooning the United mans 35 yard free-kick around the post.

Seconds later Head’s legs again denied United, this time a Cash cross was flicked on by Smith to Dombaxe, his low drive being blocked out by the visiting ‘keeper who was proving to be a thorn in United’s side by this time.

As the half drew towards a close, the visitors created a couple more openings of their own. Cash part cleared another Tavernier corner, the ball falling to substitute Danny Murphy who fired in a 20 yard volley that was easy for Boness to hold. The returning United stopper was tested a bit more a minute before the break though when yet another Tavernier corner was not fully cleared, the ball falling to Jermaine Hall i=on the edge of the box, his shot being pushed away by the diving Boness.

United were again to be thwarted by Head just two minutes after the re-start as Duku cut out a poor defensive pass just outside the Dunstable area, he sent Cash away down the right side and his deep cross was brought down by Little, Head making himself big to block the shot away with his back to the ball.

This was to be United’s best chance of the half as the visitors constantly broke up play with what can only be described as “timewasting tactics”, however they worked and United for all their continuing possession left themselves open to the counter attack.

A cross-field pass found Christie who drew a good stop from Boness before United moved forwards with Donnelly finding Dombaxe who saw his 20 yard drive swing wide of the far post, an effort mirrored minutes later after the ex Spurs man was set up by Ismael Ehui.

Just on the hour mark Hall collected the ball and danced along the by-line, entering the six yard box he was denied a pass by a brave Boness who dived at his feet to gather the ball. Just two minutes later a Tavernier cross was met at the far post by Terry Griffiths, the defender heading wide of the United goal.

Soon after Boness was needed again as Nathan Frater’s cross from the right found an unmarked Christie at the far post, Boness doing well to block out the strikers effort to deny him a second goal.

Twenty minutes remained and Head was to deny United again. This time a Donnelly free-kick dropped nicely to substitute Spyros Mentis, the midfielders low snapshot being pushed out to fellow substitute Ryan Kinnane who saw his effort deflect wide off a defenders legs. The resultant corner was whipped across the six yard box without a touch where one was needed.

Then with ten minutes to go United were struck what was to be the decisive killer blow as Christie scored again. Tavernier played the ball in from the right to Hall, his deft flick took the ball perfectly into the path of Christie who turned past his marker and fired past the advancing Boness to consolidate his sides’ position above United in the table.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Ola Olajubu.

Print the Teamsheet: Here.