Hanwell Town kept their silverware dream alive on Tuesday night after they defeated Hayes & Yeading 1-0 to reach the Middlesex Senior Cup final.
The hosts previously went three games without a win in the Southern League Division One Central before this midweek encounter, but Michael Buckley scored the only goal of the game from the spot on the half-hour mark.
Hayes & Yeading, meanwhile, have failed to secure three points in their last 11 matches, as this game revealed the lack of chances created in front of goal against a team of a lower stature.
The Geordies began intently on the front foot with Lewis Ochoa testing Grant Smith before Ian Bywater had his follow-up cleared off the line. Tom Derry for the visitors later had their best chance in the first half, hitting a snapshot low only for Alex Tokarczyk to get down quickly to stop a certain opener.
But on the half hour mark it was the hosts who broke the deadlock through Michael Buckley’s penalty. Jim Fenlon believed to have shoved Bill Healey in the box resulting in the referee pointing to the spot and for the midfielder to hit his effort low into the bottom right hand corner.
Phil Babb then had a point to make and was left frustrated after Derry was seen to have been brought down in the box moments later only for the referee to wave it away. The second half didn’t show another side of Hayes & Yeading as the Conference South side couldn’t gain a foothold in the game.
Chances came and went for both teams, but with minutes remaining a wonderful opportunity fell to captain Dean Inman to get is side back in the tie. As the ball was flicked on the centre-back found himself one-on-one with Torkarcyzk, but the captain couldn’t find the net lashing his effort over the bar and sending his teammates to their knees in despair.
The Middlesex Senior Cup final will be played on the May 9 at Hampton & Richmond’s Beveree Stadium, with Hanwell playing the winner of the second semi-final between Staines Town and Harrow Borough.
