I'm a director of Maidenhead United Football Club.
For ten seasons one of my roles at the club was to produce the match programme.
The aim of this blog was to write football related articles for publication in the match programme. In particular I like to write about the representation of football in popular culture, specifically music, film/TV and literature.
I also write about matches I attend which generally feature Maidenhead United.
A member of the Havant Coaching Staff makes a start on the new stand
Top played bottom of the form table and as the cliche would have it the form book was upset, a change of tactics by Drax reversing the recent result in the corresponding game in Hampshire.
The decision to go with five men in defence was quite effective in snuffing out the attacking threat from the visitors for the larger part of the game, and even the early departure of Mark Nisbet with an injury simply led to substitute Tom Gilbey slotting in at the back.
Early on Havant had threatened with a Chris Arthur snapshot which Billy Lumley pushed over the bar but the stifling effect of the extra Magpie defender led to a cagey opening act of the game which gave me the opportunity to get a first recruit for my Anti Hampshire Alliance where a ground rule was agreed upon that the New Forest was excluded by virtue of being too nice.
One saving grace of Maidenhead's losing run was their ability to create goal scoring opportunities and in the latter two thirds of the first half they came at regular intervals.The first saw Reece Tison-Lascaris latch onto a wonderful pass from Nisbet. The youngster's shot ricocheted off the post to David Pratt who put his follow up effort wide leading to much shaking of heads at the thought that once again it was going to be one of those days.
That it wasn't can be put down to the power of Richard Pacquette's head. Twice, in the 29th and 41st minutes, he nodded in super crosses from the right. The first was supplied by Leon Solomon with the second seeing Pratt making amends for his earlier miss by swinging over the second. In between Pacquette didn't make the best of three chances with his feet so the message seems clear for the rest of the season - put it on his head son!
The perfect first half was completed deep into injury time when March's player of the month Ollie Palmer blasted the ball over from close range and that was more or less that in terms of goalmouth action for the rest of the game.
After the break Havant threatened occasionally to no great effect whilst Maidenhead won the odd corner (Exhibit A above) so the final result was barely in doubt which meant United climbed out of the bottom three and now need to repeat the trick at least two more times to be sure of a place in the Conference South next season.
Last game at York Road for a while and the final episode in a quartet of matches against some of the top teams in the league. Fortunately the heavy rain stopped early enough on Friday night to allow the ground staff time to get the pitch ready for visit of the Bank of England club Eastleigh.
Last Tuesday Dover arrived at York Road with a well financed team of all talents sourced with some of the best players at this level, but Eastleigh have gone one step further using a rumoured £20,000 a week budget to build a squad with substantial Football League experience.
Thus the game largely mirrored its predecessor with both teams keen to get the ball forward quickly creating plenty of goalmouth incident. However Eastleigh were unable to dominate to the extent of their promotion rivals from Kent and didn't secure the three points until the last minute of the game.
Indeed the outcome may have well been further in doubt but for an extraordinarily generous penalty award in the first half when a cross from the left struck the raised hands of Bobby Behzadi on the byline whilst the full back was in the act of slipping over. The spot kick was converted by the wonderfully named Jai Reason with the Magpie fans ire only increased a couple of minutes later when a similar ball to hand incident outside the penalty area saw referee Mike Blackledge wave play on.
The game began with Eastleigh going off like a train, with the over eagerness of striker Chris Zebroski leading to an early booking. Zebroski then almost drew first blood with a stinging shot which Billy Lumley pushed past the post. The Spitfires commitment to attack left plenty of gaps at the back for the Magpies to exploit although Chris Flood wasted a chance to score against his former team from a well positioned free kick.
As usual David Pratt was in fine form showing a different side to his game when he allowed the ball to pass between his legs to put Daniel Brown through only for the midfielder to pull his shot wide.
An injury to Harry Pritchard gave Richard Pacquette the opportunity to come off the bench, the formation changed to accommodate a two man attack. The new signing looked keen to mark his return to Maidenhead colours with a goal and but was denied a chance to do so when Ross Flitney just about collected a shot from Pratt.
The source of Eastleigh's goal rather spoilt what had hitherto been an even contest as it forced Maidenhead into a greater commitment to score to get back on level terms. In attempting to do so Pratt enjoyed a battle royale with centre back Dean Beckwith but could not fashion a chance to continue his recent return to hitting the back of the net. United's best chance of the second half fell to Pacquette but he was denied an opportunity to shoot when well placed by a perfectly timed last ditch tackle by Mitchell Nelson.
At the other end only an outstanding double save by Lumley from Damian Scannell and Dale Binns kept the deficit to one only for the Magpies achilles heel of a set piece cross from the right to be exposed once more in the final minute when substitute Alex Lacey headed home at the far post from a corner.
So three defeats in a week again leave Maidenhead looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone. Yes the Magpies were underdogs in all three games and feel sore at the outcome of two of them but the temptation to look back at what might have been must be ignored to focus on accumulating the points required to ensure a tension free end to the season. Eastleigh may well squeeze into the play offs but they will need to find another gear to obtain the momentum for a run to promotion. Certainly if their financial subsidy is sustainable they will be title favourites for next season although experience tells me its a case of when not if these vanity projects run out of steam.
Odd game yesterday where both teams looked poised at one point to win comfortably but overall a draw was very much the right result. This was a satisfactory outcome for the Magpies not only given the way they folded in the second half but also in terms of taking another step towards safety by preventing a rival from taking three points. Although the supposed importance of the game had led local journalist Charles Watts to succumb to "massiveitis" in his pre match tweet, six points from the last two matches meant the pressure was off the Magpies yesterday.
In a game that had BBC Radio Berkshire been interested they would have called a derby due to their assertion that Basingstoke is in their broadcast area, Maidenhead had much the better of the first half with only the woodwork and a splendid performance from goalkeeper Ashley Bayes restricting United to a single goal lead at the interval.
Harry Pritchard was first to go close hitting a shot against the post with the loose ball being fired into the sidenetting by David Pratt. Pratt then hit the target with a snapshot from distance which was palmed by Bayes over the bar although the referee gave a goal kick. Bayes proved to be one of the most entertaining features of the game, not only for his impressive goalkeeping but also for his running commentary on his team's performance, not least his defence. His effusiveness was rather more enlightening due to its candid nature about Town's shortcomings rather than his manager Jason Bristow's constant focus on making the referee aware that he was the reason that Basingstoke did not take all three points.
As well as Bayes' heroics, Billy Lumley proved his worth at the other end saving well at full stretch from Delano Sam-Yorke when the striker had the goal at his mercy.
Inevitably it was an Alex Wall free kick which led to Maidenhead taking the lead. This week though the set piece wizard's effort was partially stopped by the Town wall only for the ball to fall to Bobby Behzadi who finished well to score.
After the break, David Pratt who was having a decent game in the right wing position usually filled by Chris Flood, looked to be continuing the pattern of the first half when his cross hit the far post but almost immediatley Basingstoke took charge of the game, scoring twice in eight minutes. There was no need to check the programme to look for the scorer in either case as Manny Williams marked his return to York Road with a brace of goals which transformed the game. Both were deft finishes, the first from a well worked move down the left wing, the second when put through by Sam-Yorke who seized the initiative turning over possession from a dithery Maidenhead defence.
The transformation in the game now saw Basingstoke in complete charge with Maidenhead starting to show the all too familiar defensive frailty which had characterised the autumn downturn in form. Still positive substitutions by Johnson Hippolyte saw a greater emphasis on attack with the return of Flood, releasing Pratt from his dutifully performed defensive duties into a more central attacking role.
After Mark Nisbet had signalled notice of Maidenhead's intent to equalise with a volley which fizzed narrowly wide, Pratt did the next best thing to scoring against his old club by winning a penalty which must have been frustrating to watch for the away fans as the striker looked to be heading away from goal as he drew the foul. After much chatter from the Basingstoke team about the position of the ball on the spot which led to one caution for dissent, Behzadi shrugged off the background noise to score from the spot with trademark aplomb to neatly square not just the score but the scorers.
Despite five minutes of injury time, largely caused by a case of just desserts when Jay Gasson was carried off on a stretcher after diving in for a late tackle, neither side looked to have quite enough in the tank to win the game leaving Hippolyte the happiest of the two managers thanks to the late comeback and sealing a point advantage with two games in hand over fellow strugglers Basingstoke.
2013's Essex theme continued on Saturday with a rare trip to Hornchurch. With the prospect of a game viewed from afar behind a running track this wasn't exactly something I was looking forward to, the Urchins' location in sleepy Upminster coupled with their struggle to cope with life in a higher division following promotion meant it was one that could be enjoyed.
The perils of weekend engineering works led to a lunchtime rendezvous at Liverpool St with what turned into a five a side team of Magpies as one by one we struggled across central London. In contrast a brisk train journey east followed by a short walk to the ground meant any earlier delays were inconsequential, so we wandered out onto a balcony wedged between the dressing rooms and bar behind the goal, the elevation provided meaning this was the best vantage point to watch the whole game.
Before kick off there was time to reflect on the last Saturday visit to Bridge Avenue when the previous incarnation of Hornchurch funded by what turned out to be the equivalent of magic beans, comfortably beat current Preston North End manager John Dreyer's Magpies who were battling hard to qualify for the brave new world of the Conference South. As is the custom this last away game of the season led to some United fans attending in fancy dress which created a wonderfully surreal moment when the priest (pictured bottom left) took such exception to one of the linesman's decisions that he vaulted the barrier and pursued him up and down the running track waving a bible.
Since then after a few ups and downs Maidenhead remain in the Conference South whilst Hornchurch opted within twelve months for bankruptcy and a restart in the Essex Senior League. Their climb back to this level is thus admirable under former Thurrock duo Colin McBride and Jimmy McFarlane, but its clear that like last week's opponents Billericay they may not stay very long.
The game passed remotely, watched in an Amstel induced blur, with Maidenhead eventually looking fairly comfortable in what was an open entertaining game. The man fast becoming one of non league's hottest properties, Alex Wall, again stepped up and converted a free kick from outside the penalty are, this time low and hard through the wall. His strike rate is up there with Gareth Bale at the moment and I have never seen a Maidenhead player with such a scoring record from set pieces as Wall. Perhaps the best comparison lies with Stuart Pearce whose pugnacious approach is a good comparison with the power Wall applies to the ball.
However Wall's goal came after Hornchurch missed a sitter and they went onto hit the post before Harry Pritchard ended the half by drawing a great save from the Urchins' goalkeeper.
The second half turned into a tale of two penalties as firstly Bobby Behzadi scored at the deserted far end of the ground to double United's lead,
and then Billy Lumley made sure there was no way back into the game for Hornchurch by diving low to his right to save the home team's spot kick.
Pritchard again went close late on when his shot was tipped over the bar before the final whistle signalled another three points to lift Maidenhead up into tenth position but still only five points ahead of Hornchurch who lie third from bottom.
Was over the moon just to be able to go to a Saturday football match again yesterday after bad weather and illness had kept me housebound for the last month. Despite the hyperbolic pre match assertion from the Advertiser that this was a must win game for Maidenhead, I would have been more than happy with a draw as I felt it was more a case of "must not lose" to a Billericay team who have struggled to make the transition to Conference South football and like United were mired in the morass which has seen as many fourteen teams consistently fail to remove the threat of two defeats potentially leading to the opportunity to knock boots with Truro City in the bottom three. As things stand there are so many clubs involved in the scrap to avoid filling the other two relegation positions its clear nothing will be settled for a while with United's return fixture at Billericay on the final day of the season likely to carry more weight.
Wall's presence was felt from the kick off as he inspired an opening Magpie onslaught that was unfortunate only to finish in a one goal lead. Within three minutes the stage was set for him to continue his recent run of scoring from a free kick, a thumping drive being blocked somewhat unwittingly by goalkeeper Sam Beasant. I suggested to his dad Dave that this was a good save, his only response was "good strike" but minutes later Beasant Junior showed rather more intention with a save at full stretch from a second Wall effort from the edge of the penalty area. By the eighth minute though Wall was determined not to be denied, this time taking the ball around Beasant to slot the ball into an empty net. Wall almost got the opportunity to double the lead soon after only for top map reader Chris Wild to get just enough on a Chris Flood cross to nick the ball away from the striker.
Maidenhead's rampage now ran out of steam and it was Billericay's turn to assert their rather ugly imprint on the game. In a style that would have met with the approval of former crazy gang member Beasant senior, the ball continued to be pumped into the United penalty area at every opportunity with the long throws of Wild ensuring there was no let up in the pressure. These attacks were invevitably accompanied with a background of outrage from the good travelling following behind the goal, as they vainly appealed for a foul at the merest hint of a Magpie transgression.
Billericay were characterised by the ugly sisters of Rob Swaine and Wild in the centre of their defence. Two mountains of manhood, forthright in their views about the shortcomings of everyone including their teammates, and invariably involved in most of the games key incidents.In Wild's case this included a case of indecent exposure when he changed his shorts on the touchline. It was then the turn of the ardent Swaine to make his mark, heading the equaliser from a corner after Billy Lumley had tipped Dave Collis' free kick over the bar on the half hour mark.
It was now very definitely game on and although it was Maidenhead who were the better team on the ball, Billericay looked more threatening, Jay May running clear to draw a great save from Lumley, Paul Semakula capping a dire afternoon spent mostly moaning at the referee by firing the loose ball into the side netting seventeen minutes into the second half. It was at this point that Drax opted to change Maidenhead's shape bringing on David Pratt to support Wall up front.
Although the score remained deadlocked the heavy going underfoot and the attacking intention of both teams meant more goals were on the way, particularly when Town were forced to bring on Antone Douglas at right back, a player for whom the Billericay bench looked to be the height of his potential. The first to strike were Maidenhead who regained their lead with thirteen minutes left when Michael Pook swung a corner in from the left which was flicked on by Pratt at the near post to Wall who took advantage of his freedom granted by a sleepy left back to sweep the ball home. Yet given the history of this fixture more goals were due, it was simply a question of which memory would be evoked? Would it be one of John Watt defiantly punching the air after Mark Harrison salvaged a deserved point in December 1995, or the despair of Alan Devonshire when Billericay scored twice in stoppage time to steal a win in December 2000?
Billericay staked their claim to posterity with four minutes left when in between appeals for a penalty Town concluded a goal mouth scramble successfully when May put the loose ball in the back of the net to equalise. Still neither side settled for a point and as the clock ticked into injury time Lumley launched the ball forward to Wall on the left who played a lovely pass to put substitute Reece Tison-Lascaris in the clear, the young substitute curling in a delightful finish which saw the ball beat the keeper then arc into the corner to nestle in the back of the net to the cheers of the Bell Street end.
Three points for the Magpies was a fair reward for their continued attacking endeavour perpetually inspired by Wall although Billericay will feel hard done by having worked so hard to get back on level terms twice. The result may have lifted United up to eleventh but the key statistic remains the number of points above third bottom which still remains uncomfortably small enough for Billericay who now lie twenty first to have plenty of hope of survival.
I approached yesterday's game in Kent with some trepidation as the Magpies win in the corresponding match at York Road on the opening day of the season was although deserved somewhat flattering in its final margin. So it turned out that the avenging Angels of Tonbridge won narrowly thanks to a penalty which sparked a rancorous end to the game.
Despite a 100% losing record for the Magpies, Longmead is a ground I've grown to like, I just wish it wasn't such a long walk from the station. Fortunately I managed to get there before the deluge which went on all afternoon. Nestling at the back of a housing estate, Longmead is a collection of small building projects offering cover on all four sides and most importantly a steepish covered terrace behind each goal.
The packed Christmas period was starting to take its toll on the Maidenhead line up with Joe Tabiri, Daniel Brown and Harry Pritchard all missing through injury, with the latter's presence in particular a big loss for a Maidenhead team who unlike Tonbridge failed to present enough of a threat in the final third of the pitch.
The Angels weren't lacking in this department as was shown as early as the third minute when Frannie Collin skipped into the clear only to be denied by the feet of Billy Lumley. As Patrick Kanyuka and Devante McKain began to acquaint themselves in the centre of the Maidenhead defence, United emerged from a shaky start to impose themselves on the game, bringing the ball forward with confidence. Thus it was disappointing to go behind ten minutes ahead of the interval when after Lumley parried a Matt Lovell shot from the edge of the penalty area, Lovell was first to fire home the loose ball.
Maidenhead levelled three minutes later, Alex Wall latching onto a penetrating through ball before unleashing a tremendous shot from the edge of the penalty to equalise. This meant the half time scoreline fairly reflected the half with Tonbridge's troublesome nippy attackers being matched by Maidenhead's more structured approach to goal.
A tight game continued after the break, the injured Kanyuka seeing Mark Nisbet return to the centre of defence whilst Derek Duncan returned to action at full back, Bobby Behzadi moving into midfield. The deadlock was broken seventeen minutes into the second half when Tonbridge won a penalty following a soft challenge by David Pratt on George Purcell who frustratingly went to ground running towards the corner flag.
Collin's penalty was well directed into the left hand corner, just eluding Lumley's outstretched hand. The aftermath led to Lumley being the butt of the Angels fans ire for the rest of the game, with the salient feature of the rest of the game being the long involved discussions between referee and everyone involved, and the Tonbridge players with any one in black and white.
Although Maidenhead worked hard for a second equaliser it was Tonbridge who improved most after the goal, going close to scoring enough times to ensure victory was deserved. Lumley had to be at his best to tip a Purcell shot over the bar, he was then beaten by a Collin shot which ricocheted off the post across the face of the goal.
Maidenhead's inability to overcome the experienced central defensive bulwark of Gary Elphick and Ollie Schulz to similarly test Lee Worgan meant there was little doubt about the final result, one I'm sure the home fans saw as payback for the opening day of the season.
As has now become a worrying custom Maidenhead lost the battle of the southern Magpies at York Road in a game which they opened in unstoppable form.
A typically grey autumnal afternoon had begun with a stop at Bar Sport Maidenhead to watch the North London Derby, a rare opportunity to watch that strange breed of football fans who access the game solely through TV, cheering and applauding at the screen as if at the stadium itself. This fine hostelry seems to be prospering whilst pubs across the town falter which is unsurprising when you consider the investment to ensure everyone can see a screen and their televised sport of choice. The draught Amstel could not taste better as Arsenal capitalised on Emmanuel Adebayor's dismissal, the pair of Tottenham fans sharing a table with me disappearing at half time. I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't the only person heading for York Road at the final whistle, testament perhaps to their commercial support of the club.
The game at York Road sadly had shades of that in North London as Maidenhead tore Dorchester apart in the first part of the game, taking the lead when a Bobby Behzadi cross from the right was headed goalwards by David Pratt. The header took a slight deflection, enough to ensure goalkeeper Jason Matthews was unable to hold onto the ball with Daniel Brown reaching it first to score.
A few minutes later Pratt took the ball round Matthews to shoot from a tight angle, the strike well positioned but without the power to cross the line before Aaron Pugh cleared off the line. Pugh, alongside central defensive partner Charlie Clough proved to be a formidable barrier to any further Maidenhead goals. At the time I felt this reflected Maidenhead's lack of width but the introduction later on of Harry Pritchard didn't really change matters.
Having survived the opening onslaught with just a small deficit, Dorchester worked their way back into the game, serving notice of their intentions to level with a free kick that Billy Lumley pushed round the post. Whilst Maidenhead remained a threat, Mark Nisbet heading narrowly over from a corner, Dorchester equalised with the goal of the game, a Mark Jermyn pass finding Ben Watson who applied a super finish to score.
Dorchester were straight out of the blocks after the interval and would have taken the lead but for an outstanding reaction save at the far post by Lumley from Sam Malsom. Lumley was again at his best to deny a second from Watson tipping the shot onto the post when the striker ran clear on goal. That Matthews could only parry another Pratt effort served as a reminder that Maidenhead were still in the game but a double substitution just ahead of the hour mark seemed to upset United's equilibirium.
This unwelcome turn of events was compounded by Dorchester's winning goal to which the Dorset club contributed little. An innocuous through ball seemed to be destined for Lumley's welcoming embrace before James Regis diverted it into the top corner with his head from the edge of the penalty area.Whatever was or wasn't said by anyone in a black and white shirt remains conjecture as I was up the other end but certainly this goes down as a defensive mix up and a frustrating one to concede with Maidenhead seeming to have weathered the early second half blitz.
There was plenty of time to recover but Maidenhead offered little threat apart from a cross which Chris Flood fired across the edge of the penalty area from the right wing which eluded goalkeeper, defender and Alex Wall.
Not a good start to a run of at least five Saturday home games in the next six weekends. With the league table as tight as it is, goals are precious and cannot be given away lightly, certainly the likes of Danny Burnell and Ben Abbey won't need asking twice when they return to York Road with Slough on Tuesday night.
I can't remember the last time Maidenhead's unbeaten home record lasted into October and so had high hopes that this season's promising start could turn York Road into a fortress in the actual rather than cynical sense of the word.
All these hopes disappeared in an awful last twenty five minutes of the first half when the defence disappeared into a Twilight Zone in the gloom at the eastern end of the ground to leave Hornchurch seemingly able to score at will.
All this after the game started so promisingly, man of the match Harry Pritchard forcing two top saves out of Hornchurch goalkeeper Joe Woolley in two moves in the thirteenth minute. Yet once the visitors realise that a quick direct ball down the flank would expose the United defence it was all Hornchurch with the first goal coming when Martin Tuohy was given enough time to recover from almost tripping himself up to finish from twelve yards. Tuohy went on to miss an absolute sitter of a header but when Ben Bowditch cut in from the right to beat Billy Lumley at his near post to double the lead Maidenhead were looking desperately for the half time whistle.
Unfortunately there were still eight minutes left so even though Lumley saved well with his feet from Tuohy, and then tipped a Lewis Smith free kick over the bar, there was still time for Daniel Brown to turn the ball into his own net from a Smith cross.
After the break Maidenhead were full of the vim and vigour necessary to mount a comeback from 3-0 down and an enticing script was promised when Pritchard scored a deserved goal within eight of the restart. The game was over as a contest though two minutes later when Lumley received a red card for bringing down Smith when through on goal to leave Alex Tokarcyk's first duty as a Maidenhead player to pick Tuohy's penalty out of the net.
The ten men of Maidenhead gave it their all for the rest of the game and when Alex Wall tapped in a fumbled Pritchard shot there was enough doubt created to prevent the Magpie fans leaving early but the unbeaten record was a lost cause and so an uncomfortable feeling of deja vu hung around York Road with the next FA Cup tie up next.
An outstanding FA Cup tie at York Road yesterday contested by two teams who attacked with vim and vigour throughout whilst both defences had a game to forget. Maidenhead had their noses in front all afternoon and deservedly take a place in the third qualifying round draw tomorrow but Bognor made sure the Magpies had to work hard all the way to the end of the ninety minutes to ensure victory.
In a pleasing symmetry with last season's corresponding tie the sun shone throughout adding to the warmth radiated by the memories prompted by the competition. Adding to the nostalgia was the grand old man of non league football, Jack Pearce, still General Manager of the Rocks and striding the pitch pre match preparing his injury hit team. Likewise Maidenhead were down to the bare bones of the squad with Bobby Behzadi making a rare appearance in the centre of defence.
Nevertheless both clubs raced out of the blocks and the tone of the game was set in the ninth minute when Alex Wall whipped in a superb cross from the right wing which was finished by David Pratt to the delight of both players' fathers who stood either side of me in the media centre. Bognor gave notice they weren't about to lay down and die soon enough when Terry Dodd hit the post three minutes later. Later in the half Billy Lumley was called into serious action, saving once with his feet and then pulling off a sublime one handed save, denying Steve Harper on both occasions.
Maidenhead were well worth their half time lead though Pratt doubling the lead midway through the half, this time converting a cross from the left by Harry Pritchard. Indeed everytime the Magpies crossed the half way line they looked like scoring with Wall and Pratt displaying some delightful interplay which saw Wall go close to getting his own name on the scoresheet a couple of times.
After the break the game continued in riproaring fashion, Dodd ratcheting up the tension when he pulled one back from the Rocks nine minutes into the second half. The goal only served to fire up Maidenhead, Pritchard hitting the post as Bognor were blitzed until Leon Solomon restored United's two goal advantage with a cheeky chip over goalkeeper Craig Stoner's head.
With an hour gone there was still plenty of life left in this Cup tie and Mu Maan made sure no one would want to leave early by scoring from the penalty spot with twenty five minutes to go. Maidenhead continued to strive for a fourth goal, and when Pratt's cross found Pritchard with the goal begging it was only a herculean effort by the clearly injured Stoner which enabled him to deny the young winger with an outstretched foot.
Pratt who put in another tireless performance then won a late penalty to seal the win which Bobby Behzadi despatched with aplomb, the striker going close to a hat trick before departing a few seconds early.
With both teams just about spent the final whistle confirmed a result which reflected Maidenhead's superiority up front and Bognor's resilience to stay in the game, qualities which should stand each club in good stead for the rest of the season.
With Maidenhead United and Staines Town meeting three times in the last four seasons on August Bank Holiday, this fixture is starting to acquire the welcome hallmarks of a local derby, and why not given the proximity of the two towns, not to mention the clubs' similar stature.
Yesterday's game certainly lived up to this billing, a close affair which could have gone either way although the loser would have felt duly aggreived at leaving with nothing.
Defying the wet forecast by playing in sunshine throughout, Staines, followed by a large entourage, started brightly putting the ball in the net in the tenth minute from an offside position. Star of the show David Wheeler then cut in from the right wing and forced Billy Lumley into a good save low down. Wheeler was the only survivor from last season's Staines squad which had spent most of the season in the relegation zone, and it was easy to see why he had been kept on by new manager Marcus Gayle.
Although Maidenhead started to have more of the game as the half hour mark approached, Lumley was beaten by a Teddy N'Goy header only for debutant James Regis to clear the ball off the line. It was another familiar player, ex Magpie Max Worsfold who created the games' opening goal, charging down a clearance, the loose ball finding its way to Wheeler to score.
Exhibiting the resilience which has been a salient feature of their play this season, the Magpies equalised within five minutes David Pratt heading in at the far post from a Michael Pook right wing cross. It was United that went on to finish the half in the ascendancy a Lee Barney cross from the right flying past the goal just out of the reach of Alex Wall at the stroke of half time.
After the break the game remained an even contest although relatively free of incident except for an Elliot Godfrey shot out of the blue which rattled Lumley's crossbar. With fifteen minutes left the substitutions began to take effect presenting both teams with an ideal opportunity to win the game. Firstly Tony Garrod raced into the clear but with only Lumley to beat, Garrod pulled his shot wide. From the goal kick Reece Tison-Lascaris broke free in similar fashion and this time went round the keeper to shoot on target only for a defender to get back and clear.
A draw then was a fair result and reflects a cagey opening month in the league with no team either with a 100% winning record or pointless, and 20 of the 43 games ending level. Monday also showed the robustness of the Magpie squad with Regis and Barney slotting in seamlessly to cover for Saturday's injury victims Harry Pritchard and Devante McKain, with the extra freshness of Staines, who had their game on Saturday abandoned after just eight minutes, not being a factor in the result.
The Woking bandwagon rolled into town on Saturday and gave a performance which ended as expected with the Cards crowned Alliance South Champions at the final whistle.
This was no romp to the title though as Maidenhead worked hard to stay in the game and Woking received the rub of the green with their goal.
Woking fans travelled in treble their usual numbers to York Road and were in town early to warm up for the match. As I walked down the station approach I could hear the unique sound of away supporters singing in the Bell and the York Road turnstile queues were soon snaking down the drive.
This was a day that had been long anticipated in Surrey and so the Cards fans were all set at the Bell Street End ahead of kick off to see another unique event, the visit of the Windsor & Maidenhead mayor Asghar Majeed, who added another layer to the pre match handshaking. I can only hope that he will reflect on the boost to the town's ailing economy that visits by the likes of Woking brings and deem the football club as worthy of support from the council as the rugby club. Still in conversation he did seem more positive about the York Road experience in contrast to the one he has had to endure twice at Stag Meadow.
Following the kick off the game had a edgy start, the sense being that both teams had too much to lose to go hell for leather from the first whistle. Indeed the most interesting thing to observe in the early stages of the game was the wide variety of inflatables bobbing around the Woking end. Having seen Surrey struggle at Lords in the morning session, I was hoping Woking would follow suit with their county cricket club and there was certainly much promise in the way Maidenhead looked to go for goal early on although none of their shots seriously troubled goalkeeper Aaron Howe.
Maidenhead had of course already beaten Woking twice this season, the Cards one dimensional style being ripe for deconstruction. Just like their closest rivals Dartford, Woking rely on a strong defence which seeks to launch the ball forward to nippy forwards. As the first half reached its midway point Maidenhead dealt with this challenge but the game changed in the 23rd minute when a clumsy challenge from Jon Scarborough saw Giuseppe Sole fall to the floor and win a penalty. Sole himself stepped up to take the spot kick which Billy Lumley saved brilliantly with a one handed save to his right, only for Sole to be first to the loose ball and somewhat cruelly put it between Lumley's legs to score.
The goal lit up the game and showcased Woking at their best as lifted by the crowd they tore into Maidenhead in an attempt to kill the game off with a second score. That they didn't owed much to Sole and Lumley. Firstly Sole failed to convert from point blank range a perfect cross from Paris Cowan-Hall, then Lumley went onto save well from Moses Ademola and Alan Inns. Thus Maidenhead were still in the game at the break and gave it a real go in the second half with Woking seeming to settle for a one goal win.
Nevertheless as Maidenhead had neither the wit nor pace to breakdown the Woking defence, the best scoring opportunities again fell to the visitors, a Joe McNerney effort being cleared off the line whilst Mark Nisbet headed against his own post under pressure from a Woking attacker. So Maidenhead's impotence again ensured another home game without credit, with this particular final whistle carrying the added significance of confirming that Woking would be promoted back to the Alliance Premier as champions.
As the Woking fans poured onto the pitch in celebration, events of twenty years ago were called to mind when Stevenage won the Isthmian League Division One title at York Road to continue their rise up the pyramid which is still going unabated. The changing times which have led to the Alliance Premier becoming a full time professional league mean I doubt Woking will follow this course, and bearing in mind their previous financial struggles will do well to emulate Braintree's successful first season at the higher level.
As for Maidenhead's relegation plight, everything should be clear once Hampton and Havant have played their midweek games, but for the moment an unlikely return to form to collect six points from the remaining two games at play off chasing Dover and at home to Eastleigh seems to be the only option. I can only hope that some of my luck which saw me win the National from a pick based on the jockey's colours, or more pertinently that which saw Staines line up against a Dorchester team without a recognised goalkeeper yesterday, steers itself Maidenhead United's way.
Yesterday's game in Middlesex was the source of as much disappointment as the previous game in Kent provided hope. Despite the double material gain of a point and keeping a relegation rival in the drop zone, the predominant emotion at the final whistle was embarrassment at being second best to a team who had spent the entire season in the bottom six.
Providing the easiest and most pleasant journey to an away game, Staines still represents Isthmian league football to me, with its small ground now presented as an afterthought to a health club, hosting similar paltry crowds to York Road, although in this case boosted by the watching eyes of a couple of ponies in a neighbouring field.
Maidenhead started the game well, thankfully taking my mind off the inane chanting emanating from the Staines ultras in the stand, but once Town took charge it was clear that the yellow shirts would be producing virtually all of the goalmouth action.
The Swans served notice that they would be going all out for the three points when a David Wheeler header flashed past the post. He again went close before half time with Billy Lumley playing a key role in keeping the score line goalless at the break.
Staines showed much in common with their Middlesex neighbours and fellow relegation strugglers Hampton, with endeavour far outweighing potency in front of goal, but although the Magpies achieved the same result at the Beveree at least on that occasion they did everything but score.
Yesterday there was virtually nothing on offer up front for United, which only increased the pressure on the midfield and defence. Ashan Holgate is clearly a talented ball player but his lack of pace left Manny Williams a lone force in attack. With Harry Pritchard blowing hard on the left wing for much of the second half, it was left to a set piece to provide Maidenhead's one and only real goal scoring opportunity. With twelve minutes remaining Mark Nisbet stooped to deliver a looping header which was pawed from under the bar by Danny Potter. Sadly this stood alone as the only moment when Maidenhead looked capable of taking all three points as the second half saw Staines dominate once more, Lumley saving well with his feet from Richard Butler, then left thanking the woodwork when with eighteen minutes to go Wheeler hit the crossbar.
Any hopes of a late rally by Maidenhead disappeared when Jermaine Hinds was sent off for two cautions in the 84th minute. Like last week Hinds had come on as a second half sub, and whereas his dismissal seven days ago within two minutes of coming on could be ascribed to a rush of a blood to a head, at Staines the two cautions were separated by ten minutes, and there was no doubt about either. His rather British notion of commitment in being prepared to dive in and win the ball at all costs, has deprived his team mates of pressing for late points two weeks in a row at a vital time of the season and I can only shake my head in disappointment when a player of this mindset appears on the team sheet.
Thus Maidenhead had little option but to defend deep for the final minutes and again had the woodwork to thank for a cleansheet when Tom Kavanagh hit the post at the death.
At the final whistle I held my opinion that Staines were likely relegation candidates but on this showing Maidenhead would be keeping them company in the bottom three. Survival in the next few weeks will depend on two things. Firstly the ability to keep eleven men on the pitch for ninety minutes. Secondly the capacity to create goal scoring opportunities. Suspension will mean the pace and strength of Alex Wall can't help, so for my money Maidenhead hopes must rest on the young shoulders of Reece Tison-Lascaris, a player who enjoys running at opponents with the ball at his feet, and has proved he has the ability to go on and score. Needless to say he must still complete a suspension tomorrow but the way he combined with Holgate earlier in the season presents the best opportunity for a goal from open play in the remaining games.
On the face of it Saturday’s game at Dartford had much in common with Maidenhead’s first visit to Princes Park twelve months previously, the Magpies initially showing great spirit and enterprise in the face of an expectant home crowd before the pressure told midway through the second half. However a dismissal for either side following the goals gave this game a rather different complexion to the depressing inevitability of last season’s collapse with many positive aspects for Maidenhead’s fans to take into Easter Saturday’s climactic clash at Staines.
Off the field Dartford Football Club is a place where everything feels right. Judging by several pitchside hoardings this appears to be the result of a productive relationship with the Tory Council who, in stark contrast to recent decisions made by their central government comrades, have shown real leadership to ensure the Darts home is a real community hub. Although I preferred a brisk walk up the hill to the ground, I could have taken the Fast track bus which follows a road barred to all other traffic, stopping next to Princes Park. On arrival I was greeted at reception by club representatives who couldn’t do enough to help me despite their apologies that I wouldn’t be allowed in the boardroom because “I wasn’t wearing trousers”. Rest assured I hadn’t taken a leaf out of Mike Payne’s fashion bible and turned up in shorts but was clad in denim. Not a problem as I was only there for the football so hastily made my way pitchside where I ate a first class hot dog from the well-appointed tea bar behind the goal.
As kick off drew near the theme from 633 squadron blasted out of the PA, presumably to herald the aerial blitz about to be launched on the Maidenhead defence. This proved to be an accurate reflection of Dartford’s approach to the game as for the first hour they sought to get the ball forward as quickly as possible, switching to 4-2-4 when they had the ball in an attempt to swamp the Maidenhead defence. This tactic was doubtless behind their impressive strike rate of 48 goals in 18 home league games but centre back pair Jon Scarborough and Mark Nisbet were well up for the battle, snuffing out the early threat.
Instead it was Maidenhead who drew the first save, with a neat passing move which was to prove a template for their attacking play throughout the game, Martel Powell being switched into the centre of midfield at least in the first instance enhanced this style, although it was the unlikely figure of Bobby Behzadi who cut inside to shoot from the edge of the penalty area.
Dartford soon found a reply when a Tom Bonner volley was tipped over the bar by Billy Lumley and the first half continued in much the same vein with the home team having the lion’s share of chances with Maidenhead nevertheless showing much attacking promise.
The Dartford frontline was led by the lumbering Jacob Erskine who tested Lumley on more than one occasion, the Maidenhead keeper having a great half, also saving well from Lee Burns. All in all Maidenhead were good value for their first half clean sheet, Dartford wasting the talent of James Rogers in the centre of midfield whose passing ability may well have exposed the lack of pace in the Maidenhead defence if he had been given permission to keep the ball on the deck.
Going forward Maidenhead’s lack of confidence in front of goal was plain to see as frequently good approach play on the flanks was not finished with a strike.A defence marshalled by the impressive centre back Bonner was always going to be a tough nut to crack but when presented with an opportunity to go for goal the Maidenhead players appeared to be too careful for fear of fluffing a chance. This difference in mental approach was the real difference between the two teams, one flying high, the other scrambling for form and led to the decisive action at the start of the second half.
Although Maidenhead started brightly, after five minutes Dartford took the game by the scruff of the neck and set up camp in the Magpie half. Initially Maidenhead were able to resist, Lumley pushing a Lee Noble free kick round the post whilst one effort which did find the back of the net was disallowed. However it was not long before Erskine broke the deadlock with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which beat Lumley at full stretch.
With Dartford lifted on and off the pitch, the goal only increased the pressure on Maidenhead and the lead was doubled just after the hour mark when Lumley failed to deal effectively with a free kick allowing Luke Wilkinson to poke the ball into an empty net. Just when it looked like game over Maidenhead gained a toe hold in the game when a powerful run by Paul Semakula saw him follow the ball through the Dartford defence and finish from close range. Hopes of a point were then raised when the running battle between Mark Nisbet and Danny Harris ended when the attacker was shown a second yellow card.
Going down to ten men changed the nature of the game with Dartford taking the obvious option of leaving just one man up front and paring back their attacking ambition. Any chance of making the extra man count though was removed with twenty minutes to go when, within two minutes of entering the fray Jermaine Hinds was sent off for a challenge which left two Dartford players sprawling across the turf.
Maidenhead continued to push for an equaliser but could not find the composure to create a chance allowing the Darts to edge home. The fact that Maidenhead left Kent pointless was not a surprise given the clubs relative positions at the start of play but the nature of the United performance gives rise to the expectation that the points required to ensure safety can be won over Easter.
A beautiful sunny day and a half price promotion at York Road set the scene for the Magpies to take the three points which would take them to the brink of safety from relegation. Needless to say a disciplined performance from visitors Salisbury turned this scenario on its head, once again exposing United's impotence in the opposition penalty area as for the third game in a row the Magpies drew a blank.
A whiff of Premier League glamour was given to proceedings by referee Sian Massey but in contrast to previous weeks she never looked likely to display a red card to anybody in a black and white shirt.
Maidenhead started positively. Kicking down the York Road slope, with Jermaine Hinds sat in front of the defence the rest of the midfield was able to assist the attack, but for all the admirable approach play United were unable to conjure up a decent chance. Thus as United's dominance faded Salisbury took charge of the game scoring in the twentieth minute when Stuart Sinclair burst into the penalty area and beat Billy Lumley with a shot which initially hit the post before ending up in the back of the net.
With sole striker Robbie Matthews causing United's defence enough problems for two frontmen, only the save of the season from Lumley kept the deficit to one at the break, the stopper pulling off a superb diving save when seemingly unsighted from a Ben Adelsbury long shot.
After the break Maidenhead showed great endeavour in their quest for an equaliser but as they committed more players forward Salisbury looked as likely to score on the counter attack. The best opportunity for a Maidenhead goal came just after the hour mark when a corner led to a goal mouth scramble. The ball was scraped off the line twice and this rearguard action proved to be enough to secure all three points for the Whites as despite continuing attacking intentions, Maidenhead only went close once more when Mark Nisbet diverted an Alex Wall free kick past the post.
The result leaves Maidenhead three places and three points clear of relegation, looking forward to a tumultuous Easter Saturday fixture at Staines. With scoring the key problem for the Magpies it looks like being a tense drawn out end to the season unless they continue where they left off in March against their two toughest opponents Dartford and Woking.
A desperate day in Middlesex yesterday with neither teams or even the officials showing the composure in the final third of the pitch to score the goals this game desperately required.
Struggling Hampton had kept just one clean sheet in the league all season, in the corresponding fixture between the clubs at York Road, and whilst Maidenhead did everything but score the result had an inevitability about it.
A grey day saw me crawl through the rugby traffic in Richmond, the town centre a sea of green plastic thanks to presumably liberal distribution of Irish favours particularly those odd pointy finger things. Sleepy Hampton village felt a world away from the crowds at Twickenham, the homely Beveree being a reminder of quieter times in the Isthmian League.
Maidenhead fans gathered under the new roof at the far end as the game kicked off hoping for a first Magpie league win here since 1997. One player remained from this match, centre back Darren Powell. Fifteen years ago Powell was an exciting fresh talent bound for the Football League, now he had returned to Hampton to wind down his career.
Games between the two clubs have always been tetchy affairs. Both tend to be at the same end of the table with all the players very familiar with each other. The pitch, tightly wedged in between the terraces seems to create a frenzied atmosphere with a red card being displayed more often than not. In 1997 Powell saw red and history almost repeated itself just before half time when he was booked for an off the ball challenge on Alex Wall. An hour later David Tarpey kicked out and this time the referee felt a dismissal was in order. The game was far from dirty though and instead these incidents reflected the bitty, stop start nature of a contest which neither team was quite good enough to win.
Hampton had the better start to the game firing some testing balls into the Maidenhead area without finding the target. The Magpies first half was hampered by two forced substitutions in the first half an hour but they grew in stature as time went on, Alex Wall hitting the bar with a cross come shot, and Reece Tison-Lascaris scoring only for the referee to frustratingly pull play back for an earlier foul on a United player.
Both teams seemed poised to score, Reece Jones having a long shot tipped over by Billy Lumley so despite the game remaining goalless at half time a promising second period looked to be in the offing with Maidenhead having survived a few close calls looking best set to take the three points.
The second half though essentially mirrored the first. Hampton took charge from the restart, Charlie Moone drawing a great save from Lumley just ahead of the hour mark but as the game entered its final stages, it was Maidenhead who seemed set to score.
In a frenetic six minute spell Maidenhead had four great chances to take the lead. The first saw Alex Wall go clear, his shot was parried by goalkeeper Craig Ross. The loose ball was collected by Manny Williams but with the goal at his mercy he was clearly impeded by a Hampton defender, the ball rolling out for a corner. Despite good views of the incident both referee and linesman saw nothing of note. As the corner swung in, a Maidenhead head met the ball and was goalbound before being scraped off the line by a defender. With the bit between their teeth Maidenhead upped the tempo and in the move of the game Wall headed the ball onto Tison-Lascaris only for the youngster to scuff his shot when well placed to score.
Once this momentum faded though the game drifted to a goalless conclusion, with neither team having the quality up front to earn three points. This will be of less concern to Maidenhead who continue their crawl to safety whilst Hampton are now looking down the barrel of relegation particularly as they will now be deprived for three games of play maker Tarpey.
Much against my better judgement I found myself trudging across London at lunchtime, heading for the Hotel ground, Thurrock, a shoe in for one of the slots in a footballing Dante's Inferno. With hindsight I should perhaps be grateful that ITV's scheduling prevented me from contemplating a trip to Sunderland, and after three weeks without live football even the best efforts of London Transport to disrupt my journey by closing half the District line couldn't put me off heading for the Thames estuary.
Thus after ninety minutes of travelling I arrived in Fishtank country, so called after the award winning film which so beautifully captured the untamed fragility of the area. The mix of industry and wilderness twixt station and ground summed up by the plastic bags fluttering on fences confining feral horses on scrubland.As the bus headed down the hill from Aveley on the long descent to the ground, it overtook that rarest of sights, a couple of young home town scarfers en route to the game, before dropping me off at the Hotel.
Of course these days you can go for a pre match pint inside the ground, when previously supporters would uncomfortably mix with guests in the Hotel bar, all surrounding a TV to watch Football Focus or Final Score.
Kick off necessitated the usual migration to the far end, our steps hastened by the onset of rain. Disappointing Thurrock seem to be ignoring the ground regulation that requires that supporters can access the entire perimeter by shoving a bin in the way of the bit that goes in front of the changing rooms. I wonder if that will be wheeled away when the grading inspectors are on site?
A quick sprint around the back meant the first task of the afternoon was slightly delayed, the headcount, always a source of entertainment when the official attendance is revealed. Three tallies produced an average of 88, just over half the official number.
By now the game had started to take shape, Maidenhead taking the initiative and pushing hard for the opening goal. In the tenth minute a Reece Tison-Lascaris shot was spilled by youthful goalkeeper David Hughes, with further hope that he might be the source of a goal when he repeated the juggling act from an Alex Wall shot following good work from Martel Powell and Manny Williams. However after this promising start the game got progressively worse resembling the scruffy state of the weatherbeaten pitch.
Forward moves from both sides were comfortably dealt with but in the key moment of the half Maidenhead goalkeeper Billy Lumley suffered a head injury whilst cutting out a Thurrock attack. Initially he was able to continue but as the half drew to a close, a second consultation with Max Bangura saw the physio indicate that he would have to come off. With watching Sam Beasant nursing a dislocated finger, there was no specialist stopper on the bench and so captain Mark Nisbet made his return from injury in rather an unexpected fashion, coming off the bench wearing a blue goalkeeper's shirt.
The cumulative stoppages meant eight minutes were added to the first forty five, Thurrock taking the lead in the seventh of these when an Ahmed Deen free kick flew in to the top corner, an effort that Lumley would have done well to tip over the bar.
Nisbet soon had a chance to prove his aptitude between the sticks after the break, scrambling away a close range effort with his legs, and as the half went on, a game at York Road where Purfleet fielded an outfield defender in goal for the whole ninety minutes came to mind. A game which Purfleet won. Indeed Maidenhead started to increase the pressure on the home side, winning the game's first two corners, heralding an equaliser which arrived in the sixty third minute.
The goal came from a move which saw Tison-Lascaris drive into the penalty area, losing the ball to a defensive challenge. It was picked up by Wall who produced the save of the game from Hughes only for the ball to run free again, this time to Williams who fired the ball into the empty net to level the score.
With Thurrock seeing perhaps their best opportunity to break end their season long winless run at home fading fast, they pushed hard to retake the lead, but Nisbet was equal to everything that got through the defence. The final stage of the game was played in a rain shower of biblical proportions and although the players stuck to their task there seemed little chance of a winner for either side, as shown when Magpie away regular Steve King left early to beat the traffic.
So mission accomplished in part with a point secured despite playing for over fifty minutes without a recognised goalkeeper. Without this mitigation though it would have been two points dropped against a Thurrock side who look to be using their reprieve from relegation as well as Maidenhead did six seasons ago.
Unlike Hampshire, Sussex is a favourite footballing county of mine, the disappointment of Lewes' relegation last season being salved by their replacement by Eastbourne Borough. My train journey down to the game reflected this county of contrasts: beginning with Gatwick Airport, then followed by the lush green fields and rolling hills best viewed from the Balcombe viaduct before arriving at bohemian Brighton. A change of trains saw me heading across the flatlands just behind the coast pausing at arty Lewes before arriving at Eastbourne a town that I can find no other adjective to use but nice.
A billboard near the station advertising the game was the only sign that it was taking place the busy shopping centre being devoid of any noticeable local football fans. A stop in Greggs for lunch brought a wry smile as the French couple behind me in the queue asked for some croissants. I wonder if Britain's national boulanger was up to scratch?
Eastbourne Borough's Priory Lane ground is at the very edge of the town and was reached after a long bus ride through a succession of pleasant valley Sunday housing estates. Maidenhead United's plans for an out of town relocation may be dead but if they had come to pass Eastbourne Borough had the template for success. A bustling social club is bettered by a pretty much perfect ground for this level particularly considering its a new build. Covered terracing on three sides is complemented by a stand with unobstructed views. Corporate hospitality is neatly accommodated above one goal, tidied away from the throng.
At kick off, the strong low winter sun saw the teams switch ends, Maidenhead presumably winning the toss so that Borough keeper Clark Masters would be forced to squint for 45 minutes. The country end of the ground was far enough away from civilisation to have no trace of a phone signal which meant my tweets disappeared into the ether.
So the Twittersphere was unaware of Maidenhead's strong start to the game which led to the Magpies taking what turned out to be an unassailable two goal lead. With Eastbourne managerless and losing key central defender Gary Elphick to Eastleigh, they were a team ready for the taking and after ten minutes of stating their intent the Magpies struck twice before the quarter hour mark.
The first goal came from a free kick, the ball being swung over from the right flank to the edge of the six yard box where it was met by the head of Leigh Henry whose firm contact guided the ball wide of Masters and into the back of the net. Little more than a minute had passed before Alex Wall made it two nil with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which scuttled in at the far post.
As both teams came to terms with the state of the match attentioned turned to the terraces where Maidenhead fans were sporting a splendid monochromatic flag and were joined behind the goal by a group of One Direction wannabes. They proved to be our companions throughout the game and although their vocabulary was largely limited to two words they provided good entertainment with their anthems of internecine Sussex rivalry. When questioned as to the fortunes of their beloved Borough though they revealed they were actually Crystal Palace fans as shown by their Eastbourne adapted renditions of the Holmesdale tifosi's songbook.
As the half drew on Eastbourne worked hard to get back into the game but the Magpies determination meant the score remained the same. Two events exemplified this attitude: a brave block by Reece Tison-Lascaris which saw him winded by a ball blasted at him at point blank range then disappointingly booed by the home fans for having the temerity to go to ground. Then as the clock was about to tick into stoppage time a superb last ditch challenge from Jon Scarborough prevented a good goal scoring opportunity.
After the break Eastbourne continued to push to get a toehold in the game, Billy Lumley dealing efficiently with anything that breached the backline in his customary no nonsense fashion. It was Maidenhead and specifically Alex Wall who came nearest to scoring, testing Masters enough to come close to a hat trick. Now joined by ex Lewes manager Steve King behind the goal, there was much food for thought if he is in the frame for the Eastbourne job as rumour and circumstance suggest. Deep into stoppage time Eastbourne almost scored a consolation, Carl Rook's effort rattling the wood work, but just like at Salisbury the electronic scoreboard remained at 2-0 throughout the second half to give Maidenhead a January double over the team from Sussex. There seem to be enough poor teams in the relegation places to buffer Eastbourne's worrying slide down the table, and Maidenhead's nine point advantage over the third bottom spot should cover the up coming double fixtures against promotion chasing Woking and Dartford in this season's bizarre fixture list.
So I was able to scurry off into the night across the fields to Pevensey & Westham station with Maurice to enjoy a journey home basking in the warm glow of another win on the road for the Magpies which should last until I see the Magpies play again in a month's time.
With Man of the match Billy Lumley in the John Wayne role Maidenhead worked their socks off this afternoon to earn a point against a powerful Sutton side. With this season's memory scarred by a first half humbling at Gander Green Lane, I approached this match in trepidation of a repeat particularly with Mark Nisbet on the sidelines, the centre back's withdrawal through injury at Havant last week being seen unanimously by those who went as being instrumental in the Magpies' late collapse.
Guided by Paul Telfer at the back, Sutton again looked set to swamp Maidenhead having an early penalty shout turned down, and almost catching Lumley out with a speculative cross come shot, but it was the Magpies who took the lead in the seventh minute. With the Sutton defence pushing up, Alex Wall slipped through the offside trap, haring down the right wing before crossing to Manny Williams who scored with ease. Sutton responded instantly when Anthony Riviere ran through the Maidenhead defence to score.
Sutton then set up camp in the Maidenhead half until the break, the Magpie midfield providing only a buttery blockade for the pacy Sutton knives to run through. With Maidenhead effectively playing two wingers on either midfield flank in the shape of Max Worsfold and Reece Tison-Lascaris, the defence was afforded little protection from the amber onslaught but held up admirably, particularly when full backs Leon Solomon and Bobby Behzadi were switched over.
Despite their penetration up the pitch Sutton lacked a finisher and Lumley dealt comfortably with their frequent goal attempts which tended to be shots from the edge of the penalty area. Thus there was little for the massed scouts from Cambridge, Watford and Wycombe to see in the Sutton front line, the best chance being spurned when Craig Watkins ran clear only for Lumley to save with his legs.
The Maidenhead forward pairing of Wall and Williams worked like trojans to chase down the Sutton missiles repelled and returned by the defence, Williams applying a delightful finish from distance which unfortunately meant nothing thanks to an offside flag. Wall went close to scoring two minutes ahead of the interval but the overall feeling at the break was one of relief that Maidenhead had hung on to keep the score level.
The introduction of Daniel Brown and Paul Semakula for the second half bolstered the Maidenhead midfield enough to make the game more of a balanced contest albeit one in which Sutton remained on top and so genuine attempts on goal became rarer. The roar of the large travelling support wasn't enough to convince the referee to interpret Michael Pook's last ditch tackle on Moses Odubajo as illegal early on in the half and by the time Harry Beautyman's free kick deep in stoppage whistled past the angle of post and crossbar Maidenhead had done enough to earn a point and continue the Magpies excellent league record against the Us at York Road, unbeaten in the clubs' last six meetings.
From a Maidenhead United point of view the game followed a perfect script yesterday. The Magpies slowly taking control of the game, increasing the pressure in the second half to the point where the goal finally arrived in stoppage time at the death. Aside from the the three points the win also ensured there would be no slipping back to the awful form prior to Richard Pacquette's arrival, the striker having left again in midweek to join Lincoln City.
Eastbourne had the better of the opening stages with some deep crosses slicing open the Maidenhead defence. One of these led to a one handed save lowdown by Billy Lumley from the head of Carl Rook in the twentieth minute which turned out to be the closest Borough came to scoring all afternoon. By this time Martel Powell was starting to make his presence felt on the right wing feeding the trademark powerful runs of Alex Wall. The salient feature of the half though was a running battle between either sides creative outlets Ashan Holgate and Gary Hart, both wearing the number ten shirt. Holgate received a caution which may have been deserved but nevertheless it was still disappointing to see Hart encouraging this by waving an imaginary card at the referee. The feud was ended when Holgate was withdrawn at the interval in favour of Paul Semakula.
Kicking down the slope in the second half the Magpies gradually set up camp in the Eastbourne half, with goal attempts instigated by Wall free kicks or right wing crosses from Powell or Reece Tison-Lascaris. These often led to corners which ultimately paid dividends however Eastbourne also provided a counter attacking threat to keep the Magpie defence busy.
At times though it looked like being one of those days when the ball just wouldn't cross the line. Semakula wasted two great chances to score from close range, one flashing past the goal the other being cleared off the line. With fifteen minutes to go the crowd gasped when the ball fell to Leigh Henry on the edge of the box and his rasping shot hit the post. Jermaine Hinds netted the rebound but was clearly offside.
As the clock ticked past the ninety minute mark Wall stepped up again to take a free kick. Having blasted several earlier attempts low, this time he bent the ball around the wall only for goalkeeper Clark Masters to tip the ball over the bar. Wall was waiting on the line for the resulting corner bundling the ball in to score the winner and receive an odd caution for celebrating with the corner flag.
The final whistle soon arrived to signal a tireless Magpie performance fully deserving of the three points with their opponents looking dead on their feet. With the win allowing United to scale the dizzy heights of fourteenth place, a whole seven points above the relegation zone, hopefully 2012 will see a more comfortable league position maintained by the Magpies.
