Three goals in the last 11 minutes took AFC Hayes to a landslide and morale-boosting 5-1 win at home to Southern League Division One South's bottom side Winchester City, writes Scott Newman.
Joe Mitchell's side edged the first half in which Danny Tilbury added power and experience where it was desperately needed alongside Ross Ahir, who was neat and tidy, while Nelson Brito and Gilbert Nuako showed some nice touches to give Victor Osobu a chance to use his pace.
Both sides had chances before Nuako's superb 40-yard ball turned the City defence and Jay Pereira gave the last defender a five-yard start, beat him by three and then did for Clint Davies with a low shot.
Deep into first half stoppage time, however, Brito was caught the wrong side of Kyle Joryeff, brought him down with a tackle from behind and was extremely fortunate not to receive his second caution of the game.
Steve Llewelyn equalised from the spot but Hayes were not to be denied and after Nuako and Osobu squandered excellent opportunities, Osobu ran at the City defence before finding substitute Trevor Charlery, who stepped inside his man and swept the ball home.
From then on it was the AFC Hayes of last season, attacking with pace from all over the pitch and it was no surprise when Charlery escaped again and crossed deep to where Dean Clark chested the ball down and stabbed it past the keeper. That was the first of three goals in four minutes as Clark reacted quickly to volley home Youseff Metwali's header and when Davies just about denied Clark his hat-trick, clawing his free kick on to the bar, Tilbury steamed in to bundle home the fifth.
A controversially disallowed goal denied Northwood all three points from their Ryman One North clash with Cheshunt after the Woods overcame the shock of conceding a third minute opener to Bradley Harrison's speculative long range effort.
Otis Williams struck the upright and John Christian was only just off-target before the returning Sean Sonner showed great determination to get off the deck and head home a 34th minute equaliser, after his side had just seen Ricky Dobson's volley skim their bar.
Three minutes from the break North-wood thought they had taken the lead but Richard Orlu was deemed to have fouled Parry as he headed home at the back post.
Both sides created a couple of decent chances after the break but neither made them count.
Struggling Hillingdon Borough suffered their third 4-0 defeat of the league campaign as they crashed to defeat at Leyton.
Fabio Valenti (2) and Anthony Thomas struck before the interval and Andy Jones increased the final margin.
