Weston were held to a draw by Hayes & Yeading in their opening Blue Square South game of the season.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

HAYES & YEADING 1

A DRAW was a fair result to this opening Blue Square South game of the season which saw both teams reduced to 10 men in the second half.

Weston skipper Ben Kirk was shown a straight red card by Gloucester referee Tim Woods on 61 minutes for clipping the heels of Hayes’ Dan Wishart and on 72 minutes former Weston favourite Manny Williams, who was on the field for barely seven seconds, picked up the first of two yellow cards followed three minutes later by the second.

Hayes created the first chance on six minutes when 19-year-old striker, just released by Premier League Tottenham, Kudos Oyenuga cracked a shot against the home woodwork and Jerome Anderson screwed the rebound wide.

This woke Weston up and they took the lead on eight minutes when Nat Pepperell made ground on the right, played inside for Chas Hemmings who crossed for Kane Ingram to fire past his namesake 18-year-old keeper Mat Ingram, on loan from League 2 Wycombe Wanderers and on his debut with Hayes.

Hayes, relegated last season from the Conference Nationwide, began to assert themselves with Anderson forcing Irish to turn his effort over the crossbar for the first of three successive corners.

Back came Weston and Pepperell was floored as he burst through on 21 minutes, but the referee waved play on. A minute later at the other end, Irish dived at the feet of Anderson to claim a cross from the left.

Ingram was just wide with a header from Kirk’s cross on 25 minutes and minutes later had a swerving effort on target.

Hayes equalised on 39 minutes when John Goddard burst through on the left and laid the ball off for Oyenuga to drill past Irish from 12 yards.

Minutes into the second half, Ashley Kington had a free kick punched to safety by Ingram as Hemmings closed in and then Hemmings was put through on his own, by Ingram, coming off his line, turned the fierce shot behind.

After the departure of Kirk, Hayes began to dominate with Wishart skimming the home crossbar from 30 yards and Oyenuga going close with an overhead effort. Even without Williams, Hayes continued to dominate and in five minutes of added on time forced three corners, but the home defence of Jamie Price, Pete Monks, Kington, Matt Villis and Jamie Laird held out well.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Ingram (8). Hayes: Oyenuga (39).

Shots on target: Weston 3, Hayes 3.

Shots off target: Weston 4, Hayes 5.

Corners: Weston 2, Hayes 9.

Offsides: Weston 5, Hayes 3.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 18, Hayes 12.

Bookings: Weston, Price, Ingram, Pepperell, Kirk (red). Hayes: Anderson, Williams (2 yellows).

Referee: Tim Woods (Gloucester). All round good game.

Attendance: 324.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Monks, Kington, Villis, Laird, Young (Trowbridge 46), Kirk, Hemmings (Grubb 88), Ingram (Diallo 63), Pepperell. Subs (not used): Stearn, Slocombe.

ON Saturday, Weston have another away trip, this time to big-spending Eastleigh. The team coach leaves at 10.30am.

On Monday (Bank Holiday), Weston entertain Cornish visitors Truro City with a 3pm kick-off.