Magnificent Hayes back from the brink

May 2 2009 By Yann Tear

Eastleigh 0-4 Hayes & Yeading United (agg 4-6)

Hayes & Yeading pulled off their mission improbable at the Silverlake Stadium when they took Eastleigh to extra time in Saturday's play-off semi-final against Eastleigh before snatching a dramatic win with two Scott Fitgerald strikes.

Fitzgerald missed a gilt-edged opportunity for United in normal time but showed plenty of composure to drill low beyond keeper Jason Mathhews into the bottom corner five minutes into the added 30 minutes.

And the striker was in the right place to tap in a free-kick from Will Hendry angled in from the left to complete an astonishing recovery. Hayes were 4-0 down about a quarter of the way into the two-leg tie.

If Hayes needed any evidence it was going to be there day it came just a few minutes after Fitzgerald's double during an action-packed first half of injury time.

Gary MacDonald's foul on home skipper Tom Jordan gave the home side the lifeline of a penalty which would have brought them back to within a goal of Hayes, but keeper Delroy Preddie dived to his left to keep out Tony Taggart's penalty.

For good measure, Preddie brilliantly kept out Taggart again after the turn-around when he instinctively thrust out a left hand to knock a goalbound shot away.

A place in the Blue Square Premier Division will now be United's if they can repeat this astonishing effort in Thursday night's play-off final at Hampton & Richmond.

Trailing 4-2 from the first leg at Church Road and without coveted top scorer Josh Scott – suspended after picking up a red card in the first leg - the odds did not look good.

And the signs were no more encouraging for United early on either when they nearly fell even further behind on aggregate. Eastleigh's Brett Williams laid a header on a plate from six yards for Anthony Riviere, one of the first leg goalscorers, and United were grateful to see the midfielder head wide with the net begging to be hit.

And soon after, the same player half-volleyed against an upright with Preddie scrambling to get across his line to cover the danger.

But Hayes rode out the storm which threatened to blow away any hopes they had of mounting a fightback and when Steve Perkins stooped to head in a Steve Gregory corner in first half stoppage time, it was game on.

There was still little sign that the tide was about to turn after the break, but Hayes stayed defiant in keeping home chances to a minimum and waited for their moment.

It seemed to have come midway through the half when a stray backpass from Ashley Carew left Fitzgerald with only keeper Jason Matthews to beat. He dithered and the Eastleigh stopper smothered the opportunity on the edge of the area.

But with just 10 minutes to go, Hayes got back on level terms on aggregate when a free-kick from sub Will Hendry just outside the area was handled by sub Gavin Heeroo and Hendry himself confidently dispatched the spot-kick to the keeper's right.