The start of March has seen the return of the annual Maidenhead United spring slump with the prospect of a relegation fight growing with each defeat. The visits of Whitehawk and Boreham Wood promised to be nothing less than difficult. Last Saturday the Sussex club, perhaps scarred by a defeat in the reverse fixture by the odd goal in seven back in October, set themselves up to give nothing away, relying on their ability to counter attack at speed. This approach worked perfectly with two breakaways leading to two goals (the latter by way of a corner) and the game was won by half time. They were every bit the professional outfit in the second half, completely suffocating Maidenhead's attacking play, with Sergio Torres throwing himself to the floor with alacrity to raise my blood pressure.
Boreham Wood have a much more laudable method to building success than their big spending promotion chasing rivals from Sussex. The previous week someone tapped me on the shoulder, asking to look at the teamsheet. It turned out he was a Crawley fan and together with David Hunt playing for the Magpies, reportedly half a dozen Red Devils were on show, which perhaps explains their imminent slide back to the basement division of the Football League and Whitehawk's high placing.
Wood on the other hand run on a much more sustainable model, clever too, employing players as coaches on their various academy/PASE schemes, with I guess the contract including a requirement to turn out for the first team. Just a shame they don't do so much work in the local community to boost crowds to watch their stylish team. The reverse fixture in Hertfordshire was probably the best I have seen in the division all season, end to end stuff, with Maidenhead denied at the last, as indeed they were the last time the clubs met at York Road with the only goal of the game coming in stoppage time.
Sadly history repeated itself again yesterday with a valiant Maidenhead performance unable to overcome the ever vigilant goalkeeping of Wood's James Russell. The introduction of Junior Morias and Matthew Whichelow midway through the second half being the catalyst to tip the balance in favour of the visitors with a late goal taking all three points, delivering on Ian Allinson's plan, which he revealed to me after the game, to win ugly.
Maidenhead were much more potent than last Saturday, which was probably due to the return from injury of Adrian Clifton, whose presence in an attacking midfield position always seems to give the team an extra bit of oomph going forward. Clifton was the creator of Maidenhead's best chance, which came in the third minute when his driving run on the left hand side of the penalty areas drew defenders towards him, giving Tyrell Miller-Rodney the space to set himself for a shot on the edge of the six yard box which was brilliantly blocked by Russell.
Wood shook off this early scare to dominate the first half but despite sending a succession of first rate balls across the face of the Maidenhead goal, did not unduly trouble Ashley Timms, aside from a Daryl McMahon effort which Timms pushed round the post. This left the referee as the centre of attention, his decisions, whilst not game changing, certainly raising the ire of the spectators.
After the break, Wood continued where they had left off, Timms again saving well from McMahon, but the Magpies soon got on the front foot, enjoying their best spell of the game. Rodney again forced a good save from Russell around the hour mark so visiting manager Allinson decided it was time unleash his talent from the bench sending Morias and Whichelow into the fray in the games' final third.
With nine minutes to go Wood swiftly counter attacked, Lee Angol playing in Morias on goal. Timms rushed out to make a good save, but the ball ran loose and Ricky Shakes pounced on it to score. There was time left for United to salvage something from the game and deep into stoppage time, Timms joined the attack, floating a free kick deep to the far post. Tarpey eluded his marker to get a shot in but Russell was equal to it to seal the win for the visitors.
The defeat leaves the Magpies wondering where the next point will come from, a first ever win required over Concord on Tuesday night ahead of daunting trips to Ebbsfleet and Chelmsford.
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