Having made the mad dash with Nick from Church Road this afternoon, we arrived at Ashford about 20 minutes after kick off to see Hayes' reserve side put Wednesdays defeat behind them as they scored a comprehensive 3-0 victory against league leaders Ashford Town (Middlesex).

CD tells me it was fairly even in the opening exchanges but they were obviously waiting for us to arrive to step up a gear! Just past the half hour mark the Missioners came close to breaking the deadlock, a corner from the right being flicked out to Jarrel Henry on the edge of the area, his drive brought a fine diving save from keeper Josh Richardson who then did even better to push the ball away from the toe of the incoming Stafforde Palmer.

The respite for the league leaders lasted just five minutes, the ball was worked across the area to skipper Rhys Price who took a touch to his left before angling a shot across Richardson and into the far corner of the Ashford net.

Simon Langley had a chance to pull it level for the home side just before the break when a corner fell nicely on the volley for him, his effort however was well wide without troubling Adam Thomson in the Hayes goal. Price himself could also have doubled the lead right on the whistle as he cut inside the last defender but shot wide of Richardsons goal.

The young vibrant Missioners side that Colin Davis has really put the home side to the sword in the second period and could have had more for their efforts with Thomson hardly being troubled at the other end.

Junior Thompson had a shot blocked away just two minutes in after excellent work on the left by Bobby Hughes and Price was just too high with a volley before the home side wasted a glorious chance to equalise. A crossfield ball to top scorer Matt Baxter set up a chance but his weak shot was held by Thomson who had actually slipped over at the same point the striker shot for goal.

Within five minutes the lead had been doubled, defenders Sam Arhin and Jarrel Henry combined to bring the bal out from the back, Henry then played the ball forwards to Thompson wide on the right, the former Wealdstone man then cut inside past the last defender before unselfishly squaring the ball to a grateful Palmer who tapped home his seventh of the season. Just sixty seconds later it should have been three, Thompson beating the offside trap only to fire wide with just Richardson to beat.

15 minutes now remained and the home side were denied a goal by an excellent Thomson save, Mohammed Guirassy picked up the ball on the edge of the area before striking on the turn only for Thomson to push his effort around the post. The resultant corner saw Leon Canning with a free header but he was too high.

Hayes then stepped up a gear once more, Liam Grier moved in from the right, glided past a defender, and then missed the target by inches before a free-kick was awarded in the centre of goal for a foul on substitute Adam Cornell. Jerome Ingram's effort seemed destined for the top corner only to be blocked by a raised arm in the area. The spot kick was duly awarded but although Ingram beat Richardson his kick came out again from the inside of the post.

As injury time arrived it looked like it was to be 2-0, however this could have doubled in the couple of minutes the referee added. Grier put substitute Helmut Dayo through on goal but Richardson did well to push his drive around the post. With literally the final kick of the game the margin of victory did increase, Cornell and Armand Wembakungu combined well on the right before providing Thompson with the ammunition to fire home from close range giving Richardson no chance.

Report by Kevin Watts.