The Missioners returned to action on Saturday after a two week break and came away from Essex with all three points courtesy of a Liam Feeney strike on the hour. The game also saw a confident debut from young striker Stafforde Palmer who came off the bench towards the end of the game and looked lively up front.

The home side started the game well and could have taken the lead as early as the eighth minute, Dwayne Plummer and Mark Jones combined well down the left flank, the latter firing a deep cross that John Turner rose to meet but he could only head wide of Kevin Davies' goal.

Hayes then began to find their feet with the midfield looking better than it has all season with both Will Hendry and Ryan Ashe fighting for every ball and the two wide men moving on at every chance. The Missioners first real chance however came courtesy of a one-two between full-back Gilbert Nuako and Michael Bartley which saw the strikers close range shot blocked by keeper Nicky Morgan's legs and cleared. The ball was however soon back into the Iron's area and with his back to goal Bartley appeared to be felled but a well positioned referee waved away the claims.

Two minutes later Gilbert and Michael again combined on the left side with the strikers shot being blocked out as far as Feeney whose curling effort from 20 yards sailed just over Morgan's crossbar. This close calls at the back stirred George Borg's men and they began to move forwards with menace. A well placed corner from the right saw Turner rise highest only for Davies to dive full stretch to deny him with an excellent save, within 60 seconds a corner from the opposite flank again caused problems for the defence, James Baker flicked goalwards but thankfully just out of the reach of Turner who slid in at the far post.

Still the home side moved forwards, a curling cross from Louis Riddle on the left saw full-back Billy Burgess head on but again just out of the range of an arriving striker, this time Baker. Hayes finally got forwards soon after and almost broke the deadlock, Daniel Dyer received the ball wide on the right from a short corner and his deep cross saw Orlando Jeffrey out jump Russ Edwards and head over the giant frame of Morgan only for veteran Ollie Adedeji to head it off the line.

We then retreated again as The Iron pushed forwards once more, Turner worked a good opening in the box only to be denied by a last ditch Peter Collins interception that took the ball away for a corner. The kick found the head of home skipper Brad Quinton but his downward header was again wide of the target. As the half drew to a close, Robbie Martin fired over from 30 yards and Ryan Ashe, in his best performance in a Hayes shirt, blocked away a Turner drive that could have caused Davies problems.

Hayes started the second period well and began to have faith in their ability, Bartley and Feeney combined well to feed Kieran Knight who saw his 25 yard effort deflected wide of the target and minutes later a well placed ball over Edwards saw Feeney move on goal only for the defender to recover and deny the winger a shot at goal.

Feeney was not to be denied however and six minutes later he scored what was to become the match winner. Dyer picked up the ball from Nuako before finding Knight across the park, the strikers neat touch put Feeney through and he fired under Morgan's and into the net to give the Missioners a welcome lead.

Shortly after Martin saw a free-kick sail wide for the home side before Knight twice went close for Hayes, the second attempt seeing Morgan's fingertip his shot around the post.

The final twelve minutes, plus a mammoth nine minutes of stoppage time saw little trouble for the visiting defence as the home side seemed to run out of ideas on how to break down a well marshalled back line and a central midfield that battled for everything.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.