Hayes & Yeading Utd 1-2 Wycombe

Nov 6 2010 By Greg Burns at Church Road

GARETH Ainsworth was the FA Cup hero for Wanderers as he scrambled home a stoppage time winner.

Wycombe had been held by a stubborn Hayes & Yeading outfit but as the game headed towards a replay the Blues skipper popped up to end their resistance.

Stuart Beavon had given Wanderers the lead midway through the second-half but United got a deserved equaliser with 20 minutes to go through the excellent Bradley Pritchard.

It was a typical FA Cup tie with the gutsy non-league side going toe-to-toe with their Football League opponents for much of the game and creating the better chances.

They will be kicking themselves for not killing off Wycombe with Pritchard and Andy Yiadom particularly guilty of wasting some great chances.

But Wycombe kept their unbeaten away record intact with this being their sixth win on the road in a row.

Blues boss Gary Waddock was keen to avoid becoming an FA Cup scalp by naming the same team that convincingly beat Gillingham away in midweek.

It meant midfielder Matt Bloomfield misses his third game in a row with a hamstring niggle with Reading loanee Scott Davies continued in his place.

It was a statement of intent from Wycombe as they looked to make no mistake at Church Road and must have been pleased he did after a superb showing from Hayes.

Wanderers had more of the ball in the opening minutes but it was United who had the first effort on goal on five minutes when Pritchard fired off a shot but it lacked power and was easily gathered by Bull.

The Blues stopper, who spent a spell at loan at Hayes in 2000, was forced into action moments later when he had to race from his line to deny Jake Hyde who had made a clever run into the box.

Warnings continued to be issued to Wanderers as Yiadom was the next United player to try his luck with his effort going inches over the bar as the home side came out firing.

Waddock's side had to wait until the 21^st minute for their first effort when Davies tested Hayes goalkeeper Lee Harrison from long range with the stopper pushing the ball behind for a corner.

There may have been 38 league places between the two sides but Hayes were putting up an admirable fight and were creating the better chances.

The Blue Square Premier strugglers were throwing their bodies in the way of all Wycombe's efforts and showing composure on the ball to cause their visitors plenty of problems.

A disappointing first-half got worse when centre-back Dave Winfield picked up his fifth booking of the season and one game ban.

The FA cup never throws up an easy game and Wycombe knew they had to raise their game massively to avoid a banana skin.

Hayes were forced into a change at the break when goalkeeper Lee Harrison failed to come out after the interval with QPR loanee Niki-Lee Bulmer taking his place between the sticks.

Wycombe looked to have more urgency after the break with Kevin Betsy, nominated for League Two's player of the month, cut inside but screwed a shot wide of the post.

But the Hayes threat continued with Yiadom waltzing through a static Wycombe backline but blazing over from eight yards out before Pritchard curled an effort into Bull's arms as the hour mark approached.

Chances were opening up for both sides with Blues right-back Danny Foster stinging the palms of Bulmer with a long range effort before Pritchard raced clear again but was foiled by the sprawling Bull.

Moments later and it was Pritchard causing Wanderers all sorts of problems and he darted to the byline and cut the ball back for Yiadom who volleyed into the grateful arms of Bull.

But against the run of play Wanderers took the lead when Beavon was able to sweep home the ball after a goalmouth scramble for his second goal of the season and put Wycombe ahead.

But their lead lasted less than ten minutes when Pritchard tapped in a Holmes cross to level the score and ensure a dramatic cup finale.

Wycombe should have gone ahead on 73 minutes when Gareth Ainsworth saw his shot come back off the post with Ben Strevens heading the rebound over from five yards.

The striker was unlucky as he was unable to adjust his body as the ball flew back off the woodwork.

Hayes had a superb chance to win the tie with six minutes to go when defender Lee Brown raced into the box but chose to pull the ball back for Hyde instead of shooting himself when well placed.

But there was to be late drama as Ainsworth popped up to scramble the ball home deep into stoppage time.

HAYES & YEADING UTD: Harrison (Bulmer 46), Cadmore, Bygrave, Holmes, Malcolm, Hand, Pritchard, Yiadom (Deen 74), Brown, Hyde, Webb (Buchanan 77).

Subs (not used): Ferrell, Green, McLean, Appiah, Bulmer.

Booked: Hand (29 mins)

WANDERERS: Bull, Foster, Winfield, Westwood, Sandell, Ainsworth, Montrose, Davies, Betsy, Beavon, Strevens (Rendell 81).

Subs (not used): Bennett, Johnson, Murtagh, McCoy, McClure, Arnold.

Booked: Winfield (29 mins), Montrose (88 mins)

Att: 1,426

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