Magpies Turn off Bath's Taps in 4-0 Whitewash

Maidenhead United ramped home a third win in succession in a 4-0 win over Bath City at Twerton Park. 

 

Alan Devonshire named an unchanged starting XI to the side who beat Dover Athletic over the weekend. On the bench, Miles Welch-Hayes, having signed a permanent deal with the club. 

 

It took just 35 seconds for United to take the lead at Twerton Park. A Kane Ferdinand cross was destined for Josh Umerah, but Jack Batten got their first. His heavy touch, however, took the ball straight past his own ‘keeper and into the back of the net! 

 

The Magpies asserted their dominance in the opening stages, containing their hosts to their own third, let alone their own half. Jordon Ragguette’s cross, like Ferdinand’s ten minutes prior, sought Umerah, but fortunately for the Romans it evaded any touches. 

 

Around the quarter-hour mark was when things brightened up for United’s hosts. Scott Wilson worked himself into an excellent position in the centre of the box, and his turn-and-shoot took a deflection for a corner. The resulting set piece allowed Bath skipper Kieran Parselle to head goalwards, and the crossbar came to Maidenhead’s rescue as the ball miraculously stayed out. 

 

A sustained period of Bath pressure came to an abrupt end when Josh Popoola scored his first competitive goal for Maidenhead United. The winger latched onto a beautifully placed cross by Jordon Ragguette, beating his man to the ball to double United’s lead. 

 

United were on a rampage, and threatened to make it three before 30 minutes had even been played after a darting run from Matt Robinson. His subsequent through ball to Liam Dulson gave the #17 an excellent shooting opportunity. Dulson shot low, and a footed save from Harvey Wiles-Richards denied the striker. 

 

However, Dulson didn’t have to wait long to get his name on the scoresheet. In a two-on-one, Dulson courageously took the decision to shoot, and his decision-making was reward when his shot spliced into the bottom corner for United’s third of the evening. 

 

 

Maidenhead emerged from the tunnel with the same intensity of the first half. Remy Clerima had the first shot on target with a header from the corner, but it’d be Popoola yet again who’d add to the second half goal tally. A sloppy Bath clearance from a Ragguette cross landed at Popoola’s feet, and he slotted home his second of the night with ease. 

 

United had cemented the three points, and the final half-hour largely saw Bath try to claw back a consolation goal. Jordi van Stappershoef saw more of the ball than he had for much of the evening, but a smart tip over the bar was the closest his clean sheet came under threat. 

 

The travelling faithful rattled through the MUFC jukebox, and a 20-minute rendition of “Mags away, a-ha, a-ha, I like it!” was only interrupted to serenade the injured de Havilland. Miles Welch-Hayes and Corie Andrews also enjoyed valuable minutes as the Magpies wound down the clock. 

 

 

Bath City: Wiles-Richards, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten, Parselle, Jenkins Davies, Wilson (Ash, 46’), Clark (Tomlinson, 46’), Fisher (Beardmore, 82’), Tillson, Russe 

 

Magpies: van Stappershoef, Ragguette, de Havilland (Bartley, 57’), Ferdinand, Mitchell-Lawson (Welch-Hayes, 77’), Robinson, Umerah (Yearn, 82’), Dulson (Stewart, 89'), Cochrane, Clerima, Popoola (Andrews, 74’) 

 

Attendance: 923