The Missioners progressed to the Final of the Senior Cup at Claremont Road courtesy of a 25 yard Josh Scott scorcher and an own goal before former Bulgarian international Bontcho Guentchev pulled back a late goal for the home side. The game however should not have been so close as referee Smeulders twice denied the Missioners stonewall penalties, one in each half.

The home side started well and nearly got a lucky break on 8 minutes, a long punt clear by keeper Richard Wilmot struck that back of a retreating Peter Collins and fell nicely to former Missioner Ross Pickett but Adam Thomson in the Hayes goal was equal to the effort.

Just four minutes later the Missioners were denied the lead by a poor decision by the match officials, Liam Feeney centred a corner from the left that skipper Adam Logie met perfectly only for a defender to claw the ball out from inside the goal with a blatent handball. The only decision that should have faced the referee was goal or penalty, sadly he gave neither and amazingly waved play on!

Dean Green the fired over from range for the home side before the returning Josh Scott turned inside Jazz Rose before firing just over Wilmot's crossbar. Gilbert Nuako and Logie then combined well out of defence and sent Feeney away on the left but his angled drive was wide of the target.

Chances continued to flow, Green forced Thomson to push an angled drive aside before a Michael Bartley layoff enabled Sean Ridgway to fire goalwards but he found Wilmot in perfect position to hold the shot. As the game progressed past the half hour mark the home side twice went close, Pickett chipped Thomson but also beat the bar and the young keeper was then well set to hold a Wayne O'Sullivan drive.

Almost immediately after quelling these chances the deadlock was broken courtesy of a scorcher from Josh Scott, the striker receiving a ball from middle of the park before taking a touch and beating Wilmot with a shot into the top corner from 25 yards.

The final chance of the half the Green with a chance to equalise but he could not keep his header down from a free-kick.

The second period took a while to get going, the home side having the greater share of possession while not getting any change from the Hayes back four. Indeed it was the Missioners who should have netted, Will Hendry directing a free-kick to Logie at the far post but he could not get his effort on target. It was only sixty seconds however until the second Hayes goal arrived, Sean Ridgway found space on the left and cut the ball back to Scott, the striker missed getting a touch on the ball only for defender James Parker to connect and put the ball past Wilmot into his own net.

Jamie Busby met a free-kick for Hendon but Thomson dealt with it comfortably, at the other end newly introduced substitute Kieran Knight twice went close, a chip shot was held by Wilmot after good work by Armand Wembakungu and Josh Scott closely followed by an overhead effort going inches wide of the upright.

Minutes later the game should have been sealed, had we been given the chance. Scott was played through past the last defender only for a recovering Marc Leach to scythe him down in the area only for a distant referee to again yell play on!!

Having escaped from conceding a spot kick yet again, the home side moved swiftly to the other end and reduced the arrears leaving a nervous final ten minutes for the Missioners. Leach himself struck a free-kick past the wall from the edge of the area whereby a deft touch by former Bulgarian International Bontcho Guentchev took the ball past Thomson.

Despite the ten remaining minutes plus more than five of stoppage time the only real chance of finding the net fell to Hayes. Kieran Knight won possession on the Hendon corner flag before finding Shaun McAuley who cut inside before rolling the ball neatly to Ridgway, his drive was parried by Wilmot to Feeney but the ball would not come down and his rushed effort flew over the bar.

As the pre-selected venue for this years final, Hayes will now face Northwood on our own Church Road ground on Easter Monday, kick off 19:30.




Report by Kevin Watts.