Hayes & Yeading United 0-2 Ebbsfleet

Phil Babb was left ruing a game-changing red card – for the opposition – as Hayes and Yeading crashed to defeat against title-favourites Ebbsfleet, reports Richard Warwick.

United were dominant for the opening 30 minutes before the Fleet keeper Preston Edwards was sent off for handling outside the area and Babb believes this helped, rather than hindered his opponents.

“For 30 minutes before their keeper got sent off we were controlling the game and it looked like it was going to be a good day for us,” said the United boss.

“People will look at it and think we should have won as they were down to 10 men, but I’ve found, even at the highest level, teams that go a man down are more resolute.

“They set up not to get beat and they held out. They got a goal and had something to hang on to, and hit us on the counter when we were pushing everything forward to try and win the game.”

United could have been two-up within ten minutes.

A tap in for Matt Ruby was averted at the last second by the visitors’ defence and then Matty Harriott was denied by Edwards when through on goal.

The pivotal moment came just after the half-hour mark when Edwards inexplicably caught the ball just outside the box and received his marching orders.

Ebbsfleet had their backs to the wall for the remainder of the half as United looked to make their numerical advantage count, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock a minute before the break.

Charlie Sheringham latched on to an Alex Osborn though ball and hit a well-placed shot across Calum Kitshca into the corner of the net, for a textbook counter-attacking goal.

The men from Kent then had something to defend, and they did so resolutely, frustrating the United attack throughout the second half.

Harriott came close to levelling the scores, but his low drive from outside the area smashed agonisingly against the foot of the post.

But it was the visitors who found the net for the second time in the dying minutes when they once more hit United on the break, Anthony Cook applying the finish to put the game to bed.

Harriott came close again with another long range shot but was denied by a fingertip save from replacement ‘keeper, and former United stopper, Brandon Hall.

Pat Cox finally got the ball in the net for the home team, unfortunately by using his fist though, and was booked for his effort to cap a disappointing afternoon for United.

Hayes & Yeading: Kitshca, Vanderhyde (Anyinsah 77mins), Everitt, MacDonald (Murrell-Williamson 46mins), Ruby, Inman, Ijaha, Harriott, Cox, Beadle (Akurang 62mins), Wishart. Subs not used: Merrifield, Smith.