Another brace from Josh Scott and a fine volley from the returning Kevin Warner gave Hayes' chances of Conference survival another boost at Church Road on Tuesday evening as we moved out of the bottom three.

After a quiet start by both sides, it was Hayes who forged the first chance of the game on 11 minutes. Sean Ridgway won the ball in the middle of the park and knocked it to Daniel Dyer on the right but his first time effort was straight at keeper Andy Stevens.

Minutes later the Eagles came close to an opener, Temitope Arojogun played the ball to Aaron Cavill who moved swiftly past Gilbert Nuako and upon seeing the imposing figure of Kevin Davies advancing he rushed his shot and the ball flew across the goal and wide of the far post.

The game finally came to life with two goals in 90 seconds, a misplaced pass by Bedford's Michael Lyon was picked up in the centre circle by Josh Scott. The striker surged forwards leaving tacklers in his wake before beating former Yeading keeper Stevens to give the Missioners the lead. Sadly this advantage lasted just ninety seconds, the Eagles earned a corner on the right and Rob Miller's kick was met firmly by his unmarked skipper Gavin Hoyte who planted a firm header past Davies.

In recent games it has been said that having gone close to scoring the game has immediately swung to the other end and we have conceded, we therefore know how Bedford feel. Miller whipped in a corner from the left side this time that travelled all the way across the six yard box where Liam Feeney was well positioned to clear it off the line. Play immediately switched to the other end where a cross was volleyed back across goal by Scott to the returning Kevin Warner who volleyed superbly past Stevens.

The visitors corner kicks were still causing chaos at the back for the Missioners, another Miller corner was tipped away by Davies and dropped nicely to Cavill but he fired wildly over the crossbar. Just before the break it was a Hayes corner causing mayhem after Feeney's shot had been pushed wide by Stevens. Warner's kick was met by John Munday but Stevens denied him with a block on the line and the ball was hacked clear.

Scott almost made an immediate impact after the break but his shot was well saved by Stevens and minutes later a Feeney effort from 20 yards was just too high. Arojogun shot wildly over from 30 yards for the visitors before Warner and Feeney combined to provide Kieran Knight with a chance but having controlled the ball neatly with his chest the volley was just off target.

With the game entering its final fifteen minutes it was once again corner kicks that caused the home side problems, Jamie Jarvis' last ditch tackle denied a shot but provided a corner that substitute Andrew Phillips met but Davies coolly plucked it out of the air under challenge. Five minutes later another corner dropped into a gaggle of defenders with a mass shout of "handball" being waved away by the referee Hoyte fired over the bar.

With two minutes remaining a Munday free-kick into the danger area saw Knight out jump Stevens but as the ball went over the keeper it had too much height which enabled Lee Howarth to head clear. The final blow came in the third minute of stoppage time when Scott caught full-back Eddie Lawley in possession on the edge of his area before rounding Stevens and sliding the ball in from the narrowest of angles to seal the victory.

Report by Kevin Watts.