BLUE SQUARE SOUTH Basingstoke Town 1 Hayes & Yeading United 1
A strong second half performance earned Hayes & Yeading United a point at Basingstoke Town but missed chances denied them all three against the league's third bottom club.
James Mulley's strike extended United's unbeaten run to four games but their record of 13 points from 33 will have to improve drastically if they are to climb back into play-off contention.
Garry Haylock's side is now seventh, only two points off the top five target but the two Bath teams are both within striking distance.
In what was frankly a forgettable first half United had just two half chances to show for their efforts as Omari Coleman caused Ross Kitteridge to fumble his shot before the ball was scrambled clear and right on half-time, the ex-Fisher man shot while lying on the floor after Will Hendry's pass but Kitteridge plucked the ball out of the air.
In between it was a very disappointing display on a pitch full of divots, with a strong wind and numerous fouls stopping any flow to the game, while Basingstoke added to United's disappointment by taking the lead.
Aaron Howe produced a world class save to deny Allan Tait from close range following Matt Warner's inswinging corner, only for the ball to be returned into the box where Kelvin Bossman touched the ball home from within a crowded goalmouth. To add injury to insult, Matt Ruby was stretchered off following an innocuous challenge, with an injury that looks like keeping him on the sidelines for some time.
Haylock made changes to the formation at half-time and they paid off within five minutes of the restart.
Hendry floated a pass to Mulley who was supporting the attack and he touched the ball past Kitteridge before nudging it over the line for his fourth goal of the season. It heralded a spell of prolongued pressure during which Ram Marwa had a shot charged down from Josh Scott's cross before United's top scorer had a golden opportunity to put his side in front on 61 minutes.
Scott raced on to Hendry's through ball before being hauled down by Kitteridge for a penalty, the striker got up to take it himself but Kitteridge guessed right and pushed his low shot away.
United continued to dominate the second half and Peter Collins got a shot on target only for Sean Hankin to get his head in the way and both Steven Gregory and Danny Allen-Page tried their luck from long range to no avail.
Scott had another great chance to grab the winner when substitute Staforde Palmer laid the ball off but he fired inches over from a central position.
Basingstoke finished the game strongly and both Tait and Sido Jombarti tested Howe with shots which required good reactions, leaving both sides rather disappointed with a draw.
