WHERE there’s life there’s hope – and there was certainly life in Hayes & Yeading at Bath this evening.
United’s second win in 19 leaves them where they started the match: second bottom – but it all but sinks basement side Bath and puts Naz Bashir’s men in a mix of six clubs separated by only four points.
Two teams desperately short of form were never going to produce a classic but what new boy Michael Thalissitis did produce was a moment of opportunism to win the game.
On 38 minutes, City’s back line allowed a long clearance to bounce on the edge of the box and, as keeper Jason Matthews raced into no-man’s land, the Stevenage loanee only needed to send a looping header goalwards for what turned out to be the game’s single strike.
With both teams having won just four league games between them since November, it was perhaps no surprise that the game was an extremely tentative affair.
But H&Y took heart from the lead and seven minutes into the second period Luke Williams produced great footwork before finding Julian Owusu with a cross, only for the striker to head over from six yards.
Matthews came to City’s rescue again moments later, pushing away a powerfully struck shot by substitute Toby Ajala, as United threatened to put the result beyond doubt.
Bath slowly but surely ran out confidence and time in equal measures, and as triumphs go there have been better, but this could be the one bit of good fortune that sees boss Bashir pull off a minor miracle.
HAYES & YEADING UNITED: Arnold, Argent (Moutaouakil 58), Spence, Cadmore, Walsh, Pele, Hand, Bentley (Ajala 64), Williams, Thalissitis (Collins 80), Owusu. Subs not used: Beasant, Mulley.
