No hashirama didn't have the upper hand, it was actually too much for him...
Remember madara said only his sharingan could see through a wood clone, yet he failed too see through that specific wood clone. hashirama won because of plot, even though he is stronger than madara. There isn't mich difference between them. when it comes to pure destruction madara = hashirama as he stated it himself. But hashirama has bigger chakra reserves than madara meaning he can outlast him in battle.