Maidenhead United FC downed by Hayes & Yeading

Maidenhead United 0, Hayes & Yeading 2

Maidenhead United FC's three game unbeaten run in the Conference South came to an end as Hayes & Yeading took all three points from York Road this afternoon.

The visitors struck early in the first half through Josh Ekim and then wrapped things up deep into injury time when substitute Jamal Lowe bagged a breakaway strike.

Lowe's goal made the scoreline look more comfortable than it was for Hayes but in truth the visitors deserved to return home with maximum points.

Maidenhead, who went into the game on the back of Saturday's 6-0 drubbing of Staines, started brightly and went close early on when Alfie Mawson saw a shot tipped over by Hayes keeper Brandon Hall.

But the visitors took the lead soon after when Ekim was left unmarked in the box and he finished past Jessie Joronen on eight minutes.

Boosted by the early goal, Hayes comfortably kept the home side at bay until just before the half hour mark when Alex Wall should have equalised.

The striker, who was man of the match during Saturday's win at Staines, was left unmarked six yards out but he completely missed his kick when he was found by Patrick Kanyuka's knock down.

Wall had another chance to level things up early in the second half but again he couldn't take advantage of the opportunity, heading high and wide following a fine move down the left.

At the other end, Kudus Oyenuga went close to doubling Hayes' lead on 60 minutes when he shrugged off Kanyuka but his curling effort drifted just past the top corner.

With the clock ticking down, Maidenhead United boss Johnson Hippolyte took off the ineffectual Wall and replaced him with Mark Nisbet.

Dave Pratt, on as a half-time substitute, was joined up top by Chris Flood as the Magpies switched to a 4-4-2 formation.

And the move almost brought an equaliser on 70 minutes when Pratt flicked the ball through for Flood but the Magpies attacker fired wide from a tight angle.

Moments later a driven ball across the six yard box looked certain to result in a leveller but somehow Hayes forced the ball behind for a corner when Pratt seemed set to pounce.

And that was as close as Maidenhead came to an equaliser as Hayes kept them at the bay in the closing stages despite plenty of balls into the box.

The visitors then wrapped things up three minutes into stoppage time with a breakaway second goal.

Lowe robbed Leon Solomon on possession deep in his own half before galloping the length of the pitch and firing low into the corner past Joronen's outstretched hand.

Maidenhead: Joronen, Solomon, Behzadi, Tabiri (Semakula, 86), Kanyuka, Mawson, Flood, Brown, Tison-Lascaris (Pratt, 46), Wall (Nisbet, 59), Pritchard. Subs not used: Hippolyte, Lumley.

Hayes & Yeading: Hall, Spence, Braithwaite, Cox, Bygrave, Cadmore, Ekim (Butcher, 91), Monteiro, Oyenuga (Lowe, 83), Hand (McCluskey, 91), Wishart. Subs not used: Richards, Beasant.

Attendance: 404.