Slabber strikes to earn a point for the Tudors at Hayes & Yeading

Ashley Lodge put the hosts ahead, before Slabber equalised soon after the restart in a fiesty affair which Hemel will feel that they should have won after a much improved second 45 minutes.

Tudors midfielder Mitch Brundle had the first shot of the game but dragged his effort wide, before Hayes’ Luke Williams did likewise at the other end a few minutes later.

In a first half of few chances, the first save come in the 32nd minute as Slabber spun well on the edge of the box and forced Hayes keeper Charlie burns into a good stop.

And it was the hosts who went on to open the scoring just two minutes later. Hemel failed to clear their lines after the ball went right across the box, and Lodge was on hand to fire home at the back post on his Hayes debut.

Hemel had a couple of half-chances before the break, but neither Graeme Montgomery nor Adam Bailey-Dennis were able to apply the finishing touch to dangerous balls into the box.

Despite their lacklustre first half, it did not take Hemel long to level things up after the break as Slabber flicked home a fine header into the top corner from Montgomery’s cross after Oli was brought down by Emmanuel Monthe.

Slabber came close to a quick-fire second as his header was well held by Burns, before Max Worfold flicked an effort just over the bar at the other end under pressure from Terrell Forbes.

Hemel began to press forward in search of a second goal and Spring stung the hands of Burns with a long range piledriver, before Zane Banton pulled the ball wide when well placed in front of goal.

Hayes had a great chance to win the game late on when Benyon raced through one-on-one with Butler, but the Hemel keeper did excellently to smother the shot and ensure the points were shared.

The draw moved Hemel up one place to eighth in the National League South table.

Next up for Dean Brennan’s side is a home fixture against Weston-Super-Mare next Saturday.

Hayes & Yeading: 1 Charlie Burns, 2 Jim Fenlon, 3 Emmanuel Monthe (Elliott Simpson, 63 mins), 4 Adam Everitt (c), 5 Darren Purse, 6 Devante McKain, 7 Mason Spence, 8 Ashley Lodge, 9 Elliot Benyon, 10 Luke Williams (15 Tom Collins, 86 mins) 11 Max Worsfold. Subs not used: 12 Ishmael Ehui, 13 Rourke Pickford, 16 Lewis Ferrell.

Hemel Hempstead Town: 1 Jamie Butler, 2 Ben Herd, 3 Kyle Connolly (c), 4 Terrell Forbes, 5 Adam Bailey-Dennis (14 Nokolay Todarov, 87 mins), 6 Matt Spring, 7 Zane Banton, 8 Mitch Brundle, 9 Dennis Oli (16 Ogo Obi, 80 mins), 10 Jamie Slabber, 11 Graeme Montgomery. Subs not used: 12 James Potton, 15 Luke Thomas, 17 Joe Fitzgerald.

>> HHTFC are looking to train a number of people to become fully qualified safety stewards.

At the end of the training you will have received an NVQ Level 2 qualification in Spectator Safety.

This will not be a classroom based-course but an ‘on the job’ assessment. Once qualified you will be paid to be a match day safety steward at first team games at Vauxhall Road.

If interested please contact secretary Dean Chance at [email protected]