Magpies Beat the Beavers To Go Four Unbeaten

Ryan Peters’ Maidenhead United made it four wins from four league games in a 3-1 win over Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday, 13th December. 

 

With Will de Havilland injured midweek, Chanse Headman came in for the defender for his first league start. The skipper’s absence meant that Matt Robinson would be donning the captain’s armband for the afternoon in an otherwise unchanged starting XI from the previous Saturday. On the subject of captains, former MUFC skipper Alan Massey captained the Beavers for Alan Dowson’s first game in charge. 

 

United kicked off on a sunny afternoon, and took only ten minutes to open the scoring. An in-swinging Josh Popoola corner bobbled around the box before finding Headman, who slammed home past a flurry of bodies for an early lead. 

 

It was two by the 20th minute as Popoola scored a contender for goal of the season. 25 yards out with no option but to go for goal, the winger took aim, with his shot crashing off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net. 

 

2-0 the Mags with a quarter of the game played, and for the first time Jordi van Stappershoef was called into action. Davide Rodari, having won a free kick on the edge of box, fired low and hard, forcing United’s ‘keeper to make a strong save. 

 

A quieter second half of the first 45 came to a conclusion with only one minute of stoppage time – the only noteworthy action other than the aforementioned events being Popoola’s shot from a tight angle which ultimately clattered the side netting. 

 

 

The sun went down along with Hampton’s hopes of a point early in the second half when United had three on the board within moments of the referee’s recommencement whistle. After a great cut across goal from Popoola, Umerah was there to fire home on the first touch, offering a 3-0 lead with still half the game to play. 

 

A rather uneventful encounter proceeded for the next half-hour. A well-worked attack culminated in Asher Yearwood dragging his shot just wide, while Liam Dulson shot over a curled effort with in the final 20 minutes. 

 

Hampton were reduced to ten men when Mike Atkinson clattered Umerah with 15 minutes to play. It was a straight red, and United looked set to sail home with an easy victory. 

 

Five minutes later, the Beavers got their first and only goal of the game after a lapse of concentration from Ryan Bartley. Ronan Silva capitalised, leaving the Hampton substitute one-on-one with the Dutch ‘keeper and an easy finish in the circumstances. 

 

Bar that, it was a quiet end to a relatively quiet afternoon. A good performance from United leaves them 8th in the National League South, just one point off the playoffs. 

 

 

Hampton & Richmond: Rowley, Rodari, Deadfield, Fasanmade (Vaughan, 81’), Paul-Lavaly (Silva, 66’), Lacey, Sayers, Massey, Gardner (Atkinson, 55’), Jackson, Grego-Cox (Dixon, 55’) 

 

Magpies: van Stappershoef, Bartley, Ragguette, Headman (Harriott, 84’), Robinson (Yearwood, 69’), Umerah (Mitchell-Lawson, 76’), Dulson, Cochrane (Welch-Hayes, 76’), Clerima (Pritchard, 80’), Popoola, Onariase 

 

Attendance: 750