The quick starts the Missioners have been making this season finally paid off at Milton Road on Saturday when Liam Feeney fired us ahead with just 80 seconds on the watch.

A quick throw by Kieran Knight to Shaun McAuley saw the midfielder plant a cross into the centre where Ryan Ashe rose with great vision to flick the ball to Feeney who calmly took a touch before firing past keeper Danny Naisbitt and in off the far post.

Hayes continued to make chances, Peter Collins in a defensive midfield role saw a 35 yard effort sail wide as did Feeney after good work by Ashe and Michael Bartley.

The home side, playing an unusual long ball game, fired themselves level on 20 minutes. The ball was fired long to Lee Roach, who was to give the Hayes defence problems all afternoon, he cut inside Adam Logie before firing past Kevin Davies from an angle.

Chances continued to come from both sides in a very open game, Daniel Blanchett saw a free-kick deflected wide off the wall for the home side and at the other end Feeney was inches high with a volley after excellent work by McAuley. This was closely followed by a McAuley free-kick into the area that somehow avoided Bartley, Logie and Tobi Jinadu just yards from goal.

The Lillywhites began to push forwards ten minutes before the break, Darren Lynch headed over the bar from a Greg Lincoln cross while both Roach and Mark Graham also went close but were again too high with their efforts. The Missioners again began to push forwards as the break approached and the lead was regained courtesy of a towering Tobi Jinadu header. McAuleys corner from the right saw the centre-back out leap his opposite number Glen Fuff and the flailing arm of Naisbitt to head goalwards, despite an acrobatic diving attempt to clear off the line, the well positioned assistant referee signalled that the ball had crossed the line and a goal was awarded.

Kevin Davies was called into action with ten minutes played in the second period, a right side corner by Stuart Sinclair was met perfectly by Fuff only for Davies to leap backwards and tip the effort onto the crossbar before the loose ball was hacked away to safety. Bartley and Knight combined to set Ashe for a strike that was deflected wide before Davies showed his athleticism again, this time tipping over a header from our own Peter Collins.

In the 70th minute though, Davies was to become the villain, yet another huge City punt forwards saw Roach race onto the ball and despite the fact that he was going away from goal towards the byeline Davies had committed himself to the tackle and brought down the striker in the area. Ben Bowditch stepped up and converted from the spot to bring the home side level.

Minutes later Davies again came to the rescue, a long punt by Craig Pope found Roach, the striker turned inside before seeing Davies palm away his shot from close range with Logie clearing the danger. Within a minute the home side again went close, Sinclair crossing to Lincoln who saw his header hacked off the line by Feeney.

Feeney, who seemed to be at the heart of most Hayes attacks, caused problems deep into stoppage time, firstly his free-kick was headed goalwards by Orlando Jeffrey but held by Naisbitt who also fielded a late Feeney free-kick leaving the Missioners with a first point of the season.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.