Hayes ran out comfortable winners over their local rivals to maintain their position at the top of the Allied Counties Premier Division and extend their 100% winning record.

It was a long night for the Harefield team who weren't allowed much possession and were continually being forced back to defend their goal.

Dominic McAuley (brother of first team player Shaun), was a persistant threat throughout the game, and his cross created the first opening, but Ryan Jones's header found goalkeeper Sam Bellis well positioned. Michael Bryan, on the opposite wing to McAuley, was another who was proving a handful and it was his run and low cross that Bellis just about dealt with before Jones could pounce.

And yet Hayes were almost one down when Richmond Agyemon found himself unmarked in front of goal, but he put his shot straight at John Peacock.

This spurred Hayes into goalscoring action. In the fifteenth minute, Jack Rooney played a one-two with Andrew Harewood before sending an inch perfect, defence splitting pass across forty yards for Jones to run onto and roll the ball past Bellis.

Bryan made an audacious attempt to double the lead with a speculative shot which just cleared the crossbar. This heralded Harefield's best spell but aside from Peacock's diving save to prevent Terry Hutchin's weak shot from going in and David Fletcher's volley straight at Peacock, the Hayes goal wasn't really threatened. In fact, Hayes could've doubled their lead by half time, but Ryan Jones hit the post following a smart turn and run by Harewood who put him through on goal.

Rooney should've scored just after half time but opted to control Jack Bigwood's far post cross with his chest rather than convert it with his head and the ball rolled wide. Liam Hind tested Bellis with a long shot which he managed to turn past the post acrobatically.

In the 56th minute, the second goal duly arrived. Harewood found space on the edge of the area before firing a low shot past Bellis. Within a minute, it was 3-0. Jerome Ferguson's precise through ball was controlled by McAuley who smashed the ball into the net underneath the advancing Bellis.

Hayes seemed to be settling for their 3-0 lead as quite a lull in play followed. However, as chasing the ball for 80 minutes was taking it's toll on Harefield's players, the chances arrived for Hayes late on. Harewood did well to get in front of goal with a mazy run, but put the ball in the side netting when he probably should have scored. The scoring was completed with seven minutes remaining when McAuley controlled the ball on the left wing before cutting back inside. His high cross was met with impeccable timing by the on rushing Hind whose looping header gave Bellis no chance.

By the end of the game, Hayes had several other chances to increase their lead further. Hind had one effort cleared off the line and headed another chance against the bar from McAuley's cross. Once again he went close with a volley from Aga Brianidt's cross and McAuley just missed out on capping a fine performance with a second goal when his deft chip just cleared the far post.

Report by Nick Bell.