Maidenhead United v Wealdstone - Matchday Programme

THURSDAY 26TH DECEMBER 2024 3PM

York Road, Berkshire, SL6 1SF Tel: 01628 636314 @mufcyorkroad www.maidenheadunitedfc.org

PRESIDENT: Rob West CHAIRMAN: Peter Griffin SENIOR LIFE VICE PRESIDENT: Dave Jones VICE CHAIR: Bob Hussey LIFE VICE PRESIDENTS: Kenneth Chandler, Jean & Roger Coombs, Richie Goddard, Dave Harrison, Pat McDonald, Mark Smith, Jon Swan & Jon Urry DIRECTORS & TRUSTEES: Graham Alfred, Bob Hussey, Steve Jinman, Mark Stewart CEO: Jon Adams GROUNDSMAN/KIT: Jason Stewart CLUB SECRETARY: Neil Maskell (secretary@maidenheadunitedfc.org) COMMERCIAL: Sian Lancaster (sian@maidenheadunitedfc.org), Helen Park (helen@maidenheadunitedfc.org) MEDIA: Shay Bottomley (shay@maidenheadunitedfc.org) COMMUNITY TRUST MANAGER: Helen Preedy (helen.preedy@maidenheadunitedfc.org) MAIDENHEAD UNITED IN THE COMMUNITY: Mark Nisbet The Club operates its commercial activities through Maidenhead United FC Ltd, York Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SF. Company No: 05691046, VAT No: 442328173. The Club is a member of the Vanarama National League and is therefore subject to the league’s rules and regulations. The persons of significant control in the Club as defined in National League rule 2.13 are Peter Griffin and MUFC Ltd.

CLUB NEWS

The festive season is a time for connection, togetherness, and joy – but for many, it can also be a time of loneliness and isolation. At Maidenhead United, we believe in the power of community and the importance of looking out for one another, especially during this time of year.

In December, as part of our ongoing partnership with the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), we are focusing on the challenges of loneliness and social isolation. These feelings can affect anyone, and they often go unnoticed. But even small acts of connection can make a huge difference.

Loneliness can be an invisible burden, especially during the holidays. It affects mental health, well-being, and quality of life, but it’s something we can all take steps to combat. Football is more than just a game – it’s a chance to come together, cheer as one, and create moments of joy that resonate far beyond the pitch.

Through our partnership with CALM, we’re committed to raising awareness about mental health challenges and providing resources to those in need. Together, we can make a difference, starting with something as simple as inviting someone to a game.

To help spread a message of belonging and support, we’ve offered a special initiative for our Vanarama National League match against Wealdstone on Boxing Day. For every ticket purchased in advance, supporters were able to bring someone for free. Whether it’s a friend, family member, neighbour, or colleague, this is an opportunity to share a meaningful experience and remind someone that they’re not alone.

We hope to make this Boxing Day a celebration of community and connection. By inviting someone to join you at York Road, you’ve not just shared a day of football – you’ve offered companionship and support when it’s needed most.

RYAN PETERS Good afternoon to you all. On behalf of the management team and the players we hope that you all got to enjoy a peaceful Christmas Day and are looking forward to being out in the fresh air this afternoon to cheer us on. We also wish all of our supporters and everyone else connected with the club all the very best for 2025.

These notes are being penned before the trip to Eastleigh last Saturday afternoon.

Hopefully we were able to channel our good memories from that fixture last season to pick up a good result. The very least we will be hoping for is an improved performance – and weather – from the defeat to Slough Town in the local derby on our last road trip. We are well aware of how much that result would have hurt our supporters but they proved what a resilient group they are with their magnificent support in adversity against Solihull.

We couldn’t have been any prouder of the boys last time here. From the first whistle we were defensively solid and we felt that we deserved a valuable three points. Unfortunately, we switched off from a set-piece, regardless of being down to ten men, and it cost us two points.

The performance, however, was what we saw in the period when we went eight games unbeaten. Every player on the day was superb. Performance level in most of the recent games has been nowhere near good enough, we know this. But against Solihull we saw a shift in mentality and that will hopefully be the start of a change in fortunes for us.

A key moment in the game came late in the first half. Thierry is a little late in the challenge, but it’s never a red card. The issue we are finding at the moment is that we feel we are on the wrong end of some big decisions of late. Anyone looking at our recent record would assume that our behaviour isn’t right but it’s just bad decisions, again. Thereafter we defended incredibly well, and we attacked at times very well. We were well worthy of our goal and the lead we had, but we just need people external to the team to do their jobs properly.

We are going to need our fans again today. When we went down to ten men against Solihull they were electric. More today please!

AROUND THE LEAGUE

It was another brilliant afternoon of action as the National League took centre stage again after the excitement of the FA Trophy and FA Cup. We once again have new leaders. Barnet beat Ebbsfleet United 4-1 as Nicke Kabamba, Mark Shelton, Rhys Browne and Ryan Glover all scored at the Hive. The Bees replace York City, who were denied in added time as Jordan Cullinane-Liburd snatched a dramatic point for Tamworth after Ollie Pearce put the away side ahead.

In the live DAZN game, Forest Green Rovers ground-out three valuable points to keep the heat on. Harvey Bunker’s first half winner was enough to beat Boston United. Luke Hannant’s double kept Gateshead in touch with the sides at the top with their confident 4-0 win increasing the misery for Woking.

Oldham Athletic flipped their game with Wealdstone on its head to remind everyone they're still in the hunt. After going 2-0 down, Josh Stones’ double and another from Mike Fondop-Talom ten minutes from time gave the Latics another home win.

FC Halifax Town left Aldershot with all three points following a thriller. Zak Emmerson’s late goal turned out to be the winner. Dagenham did damage to Rochdale’s top seven hopes - Junior Morias 11 minutes from time earned the win.

Altrincham jumped into a play-off place as ‘Mr Reliable’ Regan Linney scored their winning go against promotion rivals Sutton United. Solihull Moors finally broke Maidenhead United’s resistance - the ten men were breached in the 96th minute as Alex Whitmore snatched a late point.

Danny Ormerod also scored very late into time added on as AFC Fylde pegged Eastleigh back, 2-2 it ended at Mill Farm. Mark Cooper’s Yeovil Town defeated Braintree Town 3-1, while Southend and Hartlepool fired blanks.

WOMEN’S TEAM Depleted Maidenhead United Women endured a disappointing final league game of an otherwise very encouraging 2024, with four teenage FAWNL debutants featuring in a 3-0 defeat at Bridgwater United at Taunton & Bridgwater College.

With so many new faces in a squad of just thirteen players who made the trip to Somerset following a number of injuries, illness and individuals unavailable it was no surprise that the Magpies had a difficult afternoon. They suffered yet another in-game setback in the half when injury to Mia Parker forced a change in formation. They only trailed by the odd goal at the break, but when Natasha Rasmussen was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box and the hosts scored from the spot; United were the masters of their own downfall having given away needless possession earlier in the piece.

Two goals in quick succession around the hour mark made the points safe for a more experienced home side but United, to their credit, finished strongly and dominated the closing stages without being able to find their way back into the match. Manager Ed Jackson-Norris was philosophical after the game, admitting: “You can’t argue with the result, we deserved to get beat today. We had a little late rally at the end where we’ve created a few chances and we’ve looked a little bit more structured and looked more like the way we wanted. But generally over the course of the game they’ve created more than we have territory-wise and have been good value for their win.”

The manager added: “I’ve told them [the players] that I am proud and pleased with the way that they’ve applied themselves today. I’m so pleased with the four that came in today. Poppy (Whitburn) has a little bit of first team experience playing in tier six. But it is a big, big jump from tier six to tier four. She applied herself really, really well and had to come on in difficult circumstances. Jazz (King) was superb; she has obviously played a couple of cup games for the first team last season. Emily (McMaster) coming from Spurs, we know her technical qualities but playing PGA and youth football is very different to playing first team football. Lib (Dieppe) has been flying for the Development team scoring loads and loads of goals.”

United’s first home game of 2025 will be against leaders AFC Bournemouth on Sunday 12th January (2pm kick off).

ON THE ROAD The Magpies Isuzu FA Trophy hopes were blown away by Slough Town as Storm Darragh made conditions difficult for both sides at Arbour Park.

With gale force winds battering the country, this was never likely to be a classic encounter. With both sets of supporters in fine voice pre-match there was very little of note in terms of action in the first half hour, with both sides exchanging cautionable challenges – John Gilbert for the hosts and Aidan Coyne for the Magpies attracting the attention of referee Ryan Atkin.

With a little under ten minutes remaining before the break, Slough scored the opening goal. A corner was conceded by United and the flag kick was floated into the wind, holding up under the crossbar for Slasi Spasov to react first and head home at close range at the far post. The United defence complained that goalkeeper Craig Ross had had his shirt pulled before Spasov’s decisive touch but all they earned was a yellow card for Ross from Mr Atkin for his complaints.

Maidenhead struggled to get much rhythm going throughout as they ball continually span erratically in the wind and bounce became unpredictable on the Arbour Park surface. United however had three openings before the break. Firstly, Reece Smith received a short corner and curled a shot that hit the top of Charlie Horlock’s crossbar with the Rebels ‘keeper beaten. Another corner kick saw a header from Nathan Ferguson from point blank range hit Horlock’s body and deflect behind to safety. Then when one of many misplaced passes on both sides saw Slough in defensive trouble, Shawn McCoulsky and Reece Smith combined to set up Tristan Abrahams who missed the target at the far post with only Horlock to beat.

Dev made a half time change with Joseph Ajose replacing Coyne, but the former QPR youngster wouldn’t be able to mark his mark before Slough punished the Magpies profligacy by adding a second goal. Defender Lexus Beeden cut in from the right and hit an accurate left footed drive to give the hosts parity. Inside seven minutes Maidenhead were suddenly back in this contest when Smith’s teasing ball across the box was clinically finished by Ajose, but thereafter quality chances and flowing football were at a premium as the wind and rain worsened. The best of United’s chances saw an Abrahams corner glanced wide by will De Havilland before another Smith cross narrowly evaded a telling McCoulsky cross at the far post.

With the storm blowing the ball back in their faces, United were unable to get up the pitch in the closing stages as Slough used all their game management expertise to keep the ball away from danger and they saw out four minutes of time added with only a Sam Barratt free-kick to concern them as they deservedly added the Magpies to their growing list of National League victims which includes the likes of Ebbsfleet United and Sutton United in recent seasons.

Full-time: Slough Town 2-1 Magpies

MEET THE OPPOSITION Wealdstone are making good progress under recently appointed manager Matty Taylor as they look to clinch a sixth successive season in the Vanarama National League.

One win in their opening fourteen league games this season under Taylor represented a very slow start for the Stones. Three wins and three draws in six games, however, lifted the Stones out of the drop zone prior to a dramatic defeat at high-flying Oldham Athletic on their last road trip. Former Magpie Mike FondopTalom scored an 80th-minute winner for Oldham as they came from behind to beat this afternoon’s away visitors. Micah Obiero got the Stones off to the perfect start three minutes in, scoring from the edge of the box and Max Kretzschmar doubled their lead before the half-hour, firing in on the rebound after a scramble in the box. However, the complexion of half-time was changed in the minute before the whistle as Josh Stones headed in against the Stones for the home side and the same player made it two a minute after the break as he took a touch and drilled in a leveller. Fondop-Talom completed the turnaround converting after his initial penalty had been saved by Toby Steward.

The highlight of the Stones season to date was victory at EFL side Grimsby Town in the FA Cup First Round. Alex Reid’s 90th-minute strike provided the upset. Stone defender Jack Cook denied Danny Rose the opener in the second minute with a sliding clearance off the line as the former knocked the bouncing ball over the onrushing Sam Howes. The hosts were awarded a penalty in the tenth minute when Samuel Ashford went in strong on Evan Khouri. Justin Obikwu stepped up to take the spot-kick but missed, clipping the outside of Howes’ left post. Howes made a fine double save in the 28th minute, tipping Rose’s rebound on to the bar after he had saved George McEachran’s initial shot but the visitors went close in the 66th minute, with Grimsby allowing a low cross from the left wing to roll to Ashford in the centre of the box, but his goal-bound effort was blocked. Wealdstone rose in belief as the game progressed and, after a defensive miscommunication, Reid bundled in the ball to send the underdogs through to the second round where they came up short against EFL League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers.

At the time of writing, only goal difference divides our two sides. So expect a passionate, no quarter asked-or-given encounter today.

The Gaffer – Matt Taylor

This afternoon sees two former West Ham players go head-to-head in the dug-outs, with Taylor having made 90 appearances for the Hammers during his long and successful playing career. The 43-year-old is in his third full time post in senior club management, following spells with Walsall – where he was a former EFL League Two Manager of the Month and Shrewsbury. He was dismissed at Walsall after seven consecutive defeats in February 2022 but in June 2023 he was appointed head coach at League One side Shrewsbury. He lost his job in January 2024 and took the job at Grosvenor Vale in May this year.

Oxford-born Taylor progressed through the Luton Town youth system and subsequently played in the Premier League with Portsmouth, Bolton, The Hammers and Burnley. Known for scoring some spectacular long-range goals in his playing career, Taylor completed his coaching badges during his playing career and spent time working alongside Luton Town's Under-15 and Under-16 teams while at West Ham United. Taylor was named interim manager at Swindon Town when David Flitcroft left for promotion rivals Mansfield Town in March 2018 and was appointed head coach of Tottenham Hotspur Under-18s upon his retirement from football in 2019.

THREE TO WATCH

Max Kretzschmar is a combative midfielder who secured the points for the Stones here this time last season from the penalty spot. Max joined Wealdstone in July 2022 after a fouryear spell at Kingfield. He began his career not far from us with Wycombe Wanderers before completing his first spell with Cardinals. He later helped Hampton & Richmond Borough to the National League South play-offs before Alan Dowson took him to Woking for a second time.

Adrian Mariappa is a richly experienced 38-year-old defender who featured in the Premier League for Watford, Reading and Crystal Palace. Mariappa – who has 72 caps for Jamaica – has also played in the Australian A-League for Macarthur FC and he joined the Stones during the summer having most recently been with EFL side Salford City.

Jaydn Mundle-Smith is a former Maidenhead defender, who scored one goal – in defeat against Ebbsfleet - in three starts and one substitute appearance prior to the premature end to the COVID-affected 2019/20 season. Jaydn joined the Stones in October 2021 after beginning the 2021/22 season with Dulwich Hamlet. The Fulham academy graduate was a regular in their U23 side and also spent time out on loan at Maidstone United.

ALL BETS ARE OFF On the face of it Maidenhead’s comfortable 4-2 win over Bromley towards the end of the 2012/13 season was par for the course in the latter years of Drax’s managerial spell at York Road. A decisive win over opponents with nothing to play for securing the Magpies place in what was then called the Conference South for another season.

My on the whistle match report described a Maidenhead performance where they freely created chances throughout the game backed by the support of injured captain Mark Nisbet wearing his lucky pink shirt and tie. More pertinently I mentioned a Bromley team in disastrous form, losing their eighth consecutive game against a backdrop of off the field problems leading to a demotivated team.

This was highlighted by a late red card for the Ravens which left spectators bemused as the away team descended into internal arguments on the pitch, ending the match as a shambles of a team that had been expected to challenge for promotion at the start of the season.

At the start of this current season, the truth was finally revealed. The match had been fixed by Bromley player Moses Swaibu. In a BBC audio series he revealed that this was just one of a whole string of matches that he had influenced in return for money from shadowy foreign gamblers. The extent of the corruption now revealed

by Swaibu has drawn into question the integrity of the 2012/13 Conference South league table, reflecting long considered opinions on the malign influence of the betting industry on English football.

The audio series, presented by Troy Deeney, sees him lead Swaibu through his early career and subsequent descent into match fixing. It serves as a reminder that the joy of watching football is driven by jeopardy and its general unpredictability. This in turn creates the market for gambling, but just as in wider society poses the challenge to minimise risk by influencing the outcome.

The series begins with a sad tale of Swaibu’s upbringing in the shadow of poverty, brightened by a football talent which sees him progress through the ranks at Crystal Palace with a stellar youth career. As in the case of so many talented youngsters, he found the margins of fortune to be thin and ended up starting his adult career at Lincoln City. Falling out with successive managers, an older pro spotted Swaibu as someone who could be vulnerable to corruption, and although the bait wasn’t taken at this time the seed had been planted.

A move to Bromley in 2011 tempted by a four-figure weekly salary, described by Swaibu as stupid money for the sixth tier of English football, saw him slowly move into a position of influence in the dressing room, encouraged by owner manager Mark Goldberg. Swaibu is scathing about Goldberg’s football knowledge, and it presented an opportunity for him to become a leader at a young age. When he unexpectedly became a father, the temptation to exploit his position became too great. He finally responded to the overtures of the gamblers and began fixing matches for eye watering rewards.

The details of the fixes are fascinating with regard to the number of players required and involved manipulating one aspect of the outcome such as being in a losing position at half time via largely imperceptible strategies such as not making a defensive run or leaving an opponent unmarked.

Soon Swaibu was using his contacts playing across the south east of England, alleging that he was able to call fixes in up to half the clubs in the Conference South division. He was helped by the widely available odds for matches at that level, and the disparity between what the players were paid by their clubs compared to what they could receive for match fixing.

Ironically, the league at the time was sponsored by Blue Square, a gambling company now owned by Betfair. Its spokesman Alan Alger was well known in nonleague circles, and he spoke to Deeney about how his suspicion about what was going on had led him to inform league officials that matches were being fixed on a regular basis. For example, more money was reportedly placed on the total goals in one November 2012 Conference League South game than on the equivalent market for a Champions League match involving Barcelona.

Alger said that the league’s response was to hush the matter up, and simply ask Blue Square to close markets for any match where they spotted unexpectedly high levels of activity. This in turn signalled to supporters that something was happening, and it turns out that Bromley’s visit to York Road was to be the day when the whole operation was blown wide open.

As well as supporters calling players out from the terraces, the dressing room had also become split between those in on the fix and those not involved. One of the latter was captain Danny Waldren whom Swaibu called Braveheart, and it was his determination to combat his corrupt teammates that led to his red card and subsequent public outpouring of frustration as he left the pitch.

Watching the footage again, it is striking to hear Maidenhead’s Michael Pook in a post-match interview describe his team scoring a series of soft goals. It certainly coloured my memory of that season and adds context to something which was witnessed by Maidenhead fans at the start of the next one.

The opening day of the 2013-14 season saw a trip to Whitehawk which ended in a pleasantly surprising 3-0 for United. After the match whilst waiting for a taxi, a group of supporters overhead some Whitehawk players talking about match fixing.

Later that year two were charged with conspiracy to defraud following an investigation by the National Crime Agency. Swaibu was also caught in an NCA sting and ended up in prison.

All of this serves as justification for the FA’s sweeping gambling ban on anyone involved in football at any level and yet doubts still remain about the integrity of the sport. This is not only due to those players who are caught and punished for all to see for simply gambling on football but also thanks to the work of Phillippe Auclair and the Josimar magazine. The latter has highlighted the true nature of some of the gambling organisations sponsoring clubs at the highest level of the game and makes it clear that there is now only one solution that must be taken. Gambling should follow tobacco and alcohol in being banned from advertising in any football related activity.

By Steve Jinman

LAST TIME OUT A valiant ten-man Maidenhead United suffered a gutting blow just before the final whistle after United’s best performance in weeks at York Road. Having played a man down for the best part of an hour, United’s defence held out until the 96th minute when Alex Whitmore cancelled out Reece Smith’s opener earlier in the second half.

From the get-go, Alan Devonshire’s men battled with the vigour seen during their eight-game unbeaten run across October. A more pressing Maidenhead won set pieces in the early stages of the game, but were unable to convert with Casey Pettit shooting wide after a poorly-cleared corner and Sam Barratt looping his free kick over the crossbar.

Despite a wonky start, last year’s playoff finalists soon created chances of their own.

Will de Havilland made two courageous blocks against Jack Stevens’ successive efforts, while Craig Ross ensured the Moors would not open the scoring throughout the first half.

The key moment of the game came in the 43rd minute. Thierry Latty-Fairweather’s sliding challenge was deemed reckless by referee Abigail Byrne, resulting in a second half with only ten players and a third red card for United in four league games.

United never looked like settling for a point despite their opponent’s man advantage as the sides emerged from the dressing rooms for the second half. Will de Havilland would find himself involved once again as he sought goal from Sam Barratt’s long throw-in. Casey Pettit also threatened Killian Barrett’s goalposts after a driving run through the Moors midfield.

Reece Smith, however, would be the one to break the deadlock. Tristan Abrahams dispossessed his opponent following Ross’ goal kick, playing through Smith on goal. The midfielder calmly slotted past Barrett in the Solihull net with 20 minutes to play.

An unlikely point at half-time had turned into a very possible three as the Moors failed to capitalise on their man advantage. However, the 10th-placed side would grab one right at the death as Alex Whitmore latched onto a set piece with only seconds left on the clock.

Full-time: Magpies 1-1 Solihull Moors

AWAY - AJ SELWOOD BUILDING SOLUTIONS

OPPONENT REWIND The Magpies versus the Stones has become as much part of Boxing Day tradition over the last decade or so as an ITV James Bond movie and Bubble & Squeak.

Today is the fifth installment of this particular Christmas cracker. And as The Stones have won the last three encounters between us on this day – including last season’s match here which saw Sean Adarkwa and Max Kretzschmar sew up the three points with a goal apiece early in the first half – we’ll instead focus on our last victory on this festive date, four years ago today.

United were enjoying a sterling sesquicentennial and Dev’s men climbed up to fifth in the National League after returning to winning ways with an emphatic 4-0 victory in front of club officials-only during the COVID crisis. The Magpies, who’d won just once in their previous six games, needed only four minutes to take the lead as Ryan Upward raced through the centre before drilling a low shot past Stones shot-stopper Stuart Moore.

Moses Emmanuel came close to levelling on the half-hour against his former club, but United had enough bodies back to snuff out the danger, and eight minutes later it was 2-0. Maidenhead again swept through the heart of the Wealdstone defence and, after unselfish play by his team-mates, Josh Coley stepped inside a covering defender before smashing home from close range.

Danilo Orsi, who helped set Coley up for that goal, then made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 49th minute following a handball by Jacob Mendy. Wealdstone had fought back from 3-0 down to beat Eastleigh 4-3 in the FA Trophy the previous weekend, but there was no chance of a repeat here and Maidenhead completed a comprehensive win four minutes later through Nathan Blissett.

Maidenhead completed the double over Wealdstone the following April with a club National League record 6-0 victory at Grosvenor Vale, with Orsi – now in the EFL with Burton Albion - hitting a hattrick. We failed to win any of the next five games against the Stones before victory at the Vale through Ashley Nathaniel-George’s goal in February this year.

MAIDENHEAD UNITED SUPPORTERS GROUP Maidenhead United Supporters Group (MUSG) is the name of the new fan-led group dedicated to enhancing the experience that MUFC supporters have with their club and supporting the club in all its endeavours. We wish a very happy Christmas to all MUFC supporters and wish everyone connected with the club the very best of fortune and health in 2025.

MUSG have already seen a 50% increase in membership this season, which is really positive. MUSG is now looking to grow representation across all teams operating under the MUFC banner.

The MUSG-coordinated supporters coach allowed us to bring a healthy following to The Silverlake Stadium, Eastleigh - one that is not the easiest to reach via public transport. Book up with us by visiting our stand opposite the Kelme Club Shop today for the trip to Woking on New Year’s Day. Fare will be: U16 Member £15, U16 Non-Member £18; Adult Member £20, Adult Non-Member £23.

MUSG are proudly sponsoring Maidenhead United Women’s Captain Sarah Thompson this season. MUSG member Luke posed with Sarah after the Magpies women’s latest victory at York Road.

THE SEASON SO FAR

ON THIS (BOXING) DAY

With our FA Trophy defeat at Slough still fresh in the memory, the Magpies travelled to the same opponents 100 years ago today for a Spartan League encounter. United bombarded the Slough goal for the opening ten minutes but it would be the home side who took the lead via Andrews; Jackman’s strike after a bout of brilliant passing levelled the scores at the break then Copas gave the visitors the lead right at the start of the second half converting a ball from Withers.Cox equalised from the penalty spot after Care had handled in the area but Jackman sealed the points for the Magpies in the closing minutes heading home from Marcham’s corner kick. This was Maidenhead’s first win over Slough in six attempts and also eased the pain of a 7-1 defeat at today’s opponents Wealdstone six days earlier.

United recorded their biggest win of the season thrashing Oxford City 4-1 at York Road in an Isthmian League 1st Division match 40 years ago. Goals from Garry Attrell and Andy Smith in the opening 12 minutes stunned the visitors who had looked the more dangerous side in the early stages. Oxford continued to create the better chances and were rewarded on 34 minutes, John Burn’s header reducing the deficit. Maidenhead gradually raised their game after half-time and restored their two goal advantage in the 68th minute, Nevada Phillips netting via a deflection. Ten minutes later Phillips set up Godfrey Cordice to fire home the fourth.

Two second half goals from Danny Green (top, right) saw off visitors Hayes & Yeading ten years ago today in a Conference South fixture in freezing rain at York Road. Green opened the scoring in the 72nd minute from a tight angle after a onetwo with Adrian Clifton. Two minutes later Green collected a pass from Dave Tarpey and fired home a superb shot from 25 yards into the top left-hand corner to seal a 2-0 win. A magnificent strike from Sean Adarkwa and a Max Kretzschmar penalty earned three National League points in east Berkshire for today’s visitors Wealdstone 12 months ago today. Both goals came in the first 16 minutes and the defeat marked Maidenhead’s first league loss in nine games.

By Maurice Cann

MANAGER: Alan Devonshire HARVEY COLLINS (GK) 1 ZAC BELL 2 TYRESE DYCE 3 WILL DE HAVILLAND 4 KEVIN LOKKO 5 THIERRY LATTY-FAIRWEATHER 6 RUBEN CARVALHO 7 NATHAN FERGUSON 8 SHAWN McCOULSKY 9 KANE FERDINAND 10 JAYDEN MITCHELL-LAWSON 11 BRADLEY KEETCH 12 CRAIG ROSS (GK) 13 TOBI SHO-SILVA 14 CASEY PETTIT 16 REECE SMITH 17 CHRISTIAN JOHNSON 18 OWEN COCHRANE 19 REMY CLERIMA 20 AIDAN COYNE 21 MILES WELCH-HAYES 22 TRISTAN ABRAHAMS 23 ALAN MASSEY 24 SAM BARRATT 25 JAMIE DAVIES 27 JOSHUA McMENEMY 28 JADYN DUNDAS 29 MANNY ONARIASE 30 JOSEPH AJOSE 32

MANAGER: Matt Taylor 1 Archie Matthews (GK) 2 Jack Cook 3 Anthony Georgiou 4 Deonysus Woodman 5 Alex Dyer 6 Mason Barrett 7 Enzio Boldewijn 8 Craig Eastmond 9 Sean Adarkwa 10 Max Kretzschmar 11 Todd Miller 13 Jacob Adams (GK) 14 Micah Oberio 15 Elliot Simmons 17 Dominic Hutchinson 18 Christian Scott 19 Adrian Mariappa 20 Samuel Ashford 21 Kallum Tracey Cesay 22 Alex Reid 23 Jaydn Mundle-Smith 24 Henry Sandat 25 Jack Wells-Morrison 26 Elliot Thorpe 27 Joshua Grant 28 Declan Philips 29 Callum Mcfarlane 30 James Hillson (GK) 31 Toby Steward (GK) 32 Brandon Mason 37 Jamie Pottle

TODAY’S OFFICIALS Referee: TBA Assistants: TBA Fourth Official: TBA