Report - Wealdstone 0 - 2 Hayes & Yeading
Wealdstone were dispatched from the Emirates FA Cup by Middlesex rivals Hayes & Yeading United in a Fourth Qualifying Round defeat at Grosvenor Vale.
Goals in each half from Francis Amartey and substitute Omar Rowe sent the visitors into the First Round Proper for the second year running. Charlie Wakefield was sent off for the Stones early into the second half.
In an even opening to the first half, the Stones went closest first with Moses Emmanuel just poking wide a low Dennon Lewis cross.
The visitors took the lead on 26 minutes when Amartey latched onto a long ball with Stones playing a high line. His initial effort was parried by debutant Smith in the Stones goal but he latched onto the rebound from a tight angle to slot into an empty net.
Amartey nearly scored a carbon-copy of his opener just 12 minutes later but shot straight at Smith when forced to a tighter angle by Jerome Okimo.
Hayes began to play with more confidence and again took advantage of Wealdstone’s high line, this time Jordan Norville-Williams latched onto a long ball with his powerful effort smashing off the outside of the post.
A difficult task was increased on 48 minutes for the Stones when Wakefield was sent off for an off the ball clash with Jack Williams.
On 54 minutes, Scott Donnelly showed his former EFL quality when he almost scored directly from a corner, Smith had to be alert to tip over the wide.
United doubled their lead after 62 minutes when keeper Smith’s clearance fell straight to Karl Cunningham on the edge of the area, he squared it to Rowe who swerved into the top corner.
It was almost 3-0 just four minutes later when Norville-Williams’ deep cross found Bay Downing at the far post but his effort struck off the outside of the post in similar fashion to his teammate’s in the first half.
There was a rally from the Stones with Jorome Slew, Ross Lafayette and Danny Parish all introduced through the second half, however they’d find Hayes keeper Jack Smith in inspired form.
Jacob Mendy almost made it three from three games on 70 minutes, but his powerful effort from the edge of the box was tipped over by Smith.
Again the Stones left-back posed a serious goal threat, but Hayes captain Liam McDevitt threw his body on the line to block Mendy’s powerful effort inside the box.
Parish was next to test the Hayes keeper when Connor Stevens nodded a free kick into his path, but his effort was parried wide at the near post by Smith.
Stones had a similar effort from Slew in stoppage time but again the keeper pulled off further heroics to deny the Stones substitute from close range.
Report by Chris Woods
Wealdstone: G. Smith, Efete, Stevens, Okimo, Mendy, Dyer, C. Smith, Benyu (Slew 55), Wakefield, Lewis (Lafayette 66), Emmanuel (Parish 70).
Subs not used: Charles, Green, Wishart, Cawley.
Hayes & Yeading: Smith, Downing (Johnson-Schuster 82), Norville-Williams, J. Williams, McDevitt, Robinson, Donnelly, Sheppard (Rowe 46), Cunningham (Bajja 70), Amartey, Odelusi.