Returning striker Danny Wright had earlier converted a fourteenth-minute penalty for them after being fouled by Ed Harris.

However, Craig Watkins equalised with a low drive from inside the area just beyond the half-hour, although Matthew Langston headed the home side back in front four minutes before the break.

Hayes then rallied superbly courtesy of Andrejs Stolcers' low 62nd minute finish and Scott Fitzgerald's header with nine minutes remaining, only for Smith to deny them victory right at the death

Histon: Naisbitt, Oyebanjo, Langston, Bygrave, Stewart (Okay 46), Smith, Southam, Tann, Hudson-Odoi (Tidswell 74), Knight-Percival, Wright

subs (unused): Key, Gwillim, York

Goals: Wright (14 pen), Langston (41), Smith (90)

Hayes & Yeading: Masters, Allen-Page, Cadmore, Harris, Green, Stolcers, Marwa, Cochrane, Binns (Wishart 76), Watkins, Fitzgerald (Ruby 88)

subs (unused): Overland, Canham, Little

Goals: Watkins (33), Stolcers (62), Fitzgerald (81)

Ref: J. Hopkins (Essex)

Att: 617