Ben Gerring is literally going the extra mile for Hayes & Yeading after rejoining the club from Conference South rivals Gosport Borough.

The 23-year-old Torquay-born defender is back at United following his stint in Hampshire and a loan spell with his former club Bideford to build up his match fitness.

He has remained good friends with centre-back Dean Inman and made his comeback for Phil Babb’s side on Saturday in the 1-0 defeat at Farnborough, Hayes & Yeading’s third straight loss.

Despite suffering relegation with the York Road club last term, Gerring was keen to return when he got the call last week.

So keen, in fact, that he drove nearly 400 miles from his home in Devon to take part in a training session with Babb and his squad on Thursday last week.

And Gerring is happy to keep putting his 4x4 to work as he combines football with a distance learning degree in sport and exercise science at Manchester Metropolitan University.

“The main thing is, if I enjoy it I’ll do it,” he explained. “I’ll drive wherever, and it doesn’t do the Nissan Juke any good with the mileage but it’s a good dressing room and a good gaffer. I love it here so I don’t mind doing it.

“I went to training on Thursday but travel from Torquay and am yet to sort out any arrangement. I enjoy working with this lot so I want to get there as much as possible but also, with a degree, I need to be sensible with it.”

Having linked up with Gosport in the summer, disaster struck just minutes into his debut against Chelmsford when he was forced off with a leg injury.

That led to his loan at Bideford and now to his return to Hayes & Yeading.

“I built up my pre-season – a tough pre-season travelling to Gosport – worked myself into the side, played the first game and, 42 minutes in, I get quite a nasty injury,” he said.

“I can’t fault the Gosport side as they’ve been top drawer; it’s been good being in and around it. I left because of lack of games.

“They’ve done brilliantly, and it’s tough changing a winning side but, on a personal note, I need to be playing because everyone else is 20 games ahead of me.

“Now I’m back and playing games, it’s important that I get up and be part of the dressing room. I can’t afford to fall behind any more.

“I’m so grateful the gaffer has thrown me back out there [against Farnborough], which will help me out quite a bit.”

Hayes & Yeading are at home to Horsham in the FA Trophy third qualifying round on Sunday.

Chairman Tony O’Driscoll is holding an open forum for supporters at Beaconsfield Road tomorrow (Thursday).

Elsewhere in Conference South, Wealdstone had Scott McGleish to thank after the marksman scored the only goal of the game against Concord Rangers to secure their first home win of the season.

Striker Richard Jolly was on the bench, having come out of retirement for Stones, who travel to St Albans for an FA Trophy tie on Saturday.