Molly Makes Her Mark As Magpies Triumph On The Road

 

Maidenhead United Women picked up only their second FAWNL away win of the season with success in Somerset, defeating a Keynsham Town side who had only lost once on their own pitch since September – and that to runaway league champions AFC Bournemouth. 

 

United led after only nine minutes had been played. FAWNL Debutant, teenager Molly McKeever (Pictured) had a major say in the goal as she latched on to an accurate long ball from Emily McMaster and made her way to the byline where here pull back was converted emphatically by Aaliyah Charles to score her first goal for the club. The hosts hit back quickly and Tarran Wiliams was forced into a crucial intervention to prevent an almost certain equaliser before The K’s saw what they’d hoped was an equalising goal chalked off by an assistant referee’s flag. 

 

Maidenhead had a good chance before the half hour as forward Tia Johnson muscled her way past the last defender but dragged her shot wide of goal. Prior to the break captain Sarah Thompson was forced into some last ditch defending and the subsequent corner was headed over the top of Kody Cornish’s goal. The home side were made to pay for their profligacy in the final minute of the half as McKeever scored with a firmly struck cross shot from the left, following up from her recent hat-trick for the Development team in their County Cup final. 

 

If United thought they had the game sewn up at that stage they were given a reminder of Keynsham’s capabilities within a minute of the second half when Kerry Bartlett scored with an expertly struck half-volley. Maidenhead hit back when Izzy Stockton scooped a Libby Doyle cross against the face of the crossbar but it took a magnificent one-handed save from Cornish to maintain the one goal lead as Bartlett was denied. The end-to-end nature of this game continued as Bartlett knocked the loose ball wide of goal after Cornish spilled a shot and then the outstanding McKeever pulled the ball back at the other end only to see the luckless Stockton bundle the ball onto the near post. 

 

Substitute Georgia Galley headed a good chance over the top for Keynsham and Charles had to clear the ball from her own goal-line as Maidenhead were forced into a rear-guard action to secure the points. With Keynsham continually sending the ball back into the Maidenhead box, the Magpies stood firm to enjoy victory on the road in their final trip of the season. 

 

There was further reason for cheer on the day as long-serving Alex Dover made her first FAWNL start for the club since 20th September 2020, 1,666 days after suffering the first of two cruel ACL injuries in a match at Larkhall.