Report: Binfield 0-7 Maidenhead United

 

The Magpies goalscoring pre-season form continued on Saturday afternoon at Isthmian League neighbours Binfield in the Berkshire sunshine. A strong Magpies line-up saw all fit members of Alan Devonshire's first team squad gain useful game time. They were however kept at bay for the opening twenty-five minutes by the Moles trialist goalkeeper who pulled off two excellent saves from Ruben Carvalho before impressive Academy graduate Jamie Davies finally opened the scoring by putting the ball into the net at the near post at the second attempt. 

 

Earlier in the half, Jayden Mitchell Lawson saw his shot deflected wide as the Magpies dominated the play. After seeing an earlier penalty kick saved – Mitchell-Lawson the man fouled in the box after a mistake by Brighton Morrison – and then being denied by the goalkeeper at point-blank range Tobi Sho-Silva belatedly and deserved got on the scoresheet, glancing home the second from Remy Clerima's cross. Casey Pettit had also seen a thunderous volley blocked by former Magpie Luke Wayborn prior to the break. 

 

Devonshire made seven changes at half time - and four further changes in the second half - and it took until the hour mark for the Magpies to go up a gear. Kevin Lokko nodded into an empty net after Will De Havilland headed Sam Barratt's centre across goal and thereafter it was the Shawn McCoulsky show. A corner was headed against the post by first-year professional Josh McMenemy but ended up in the net via McCoulsky. A perfect chip made it five and McCoulsky had a six-minute hat-trick when he despatched a cut-back from Reece Smith. 

 

The scoring was completed in injury time as a third Maidenhead Academy graduate, Jadyn Dundas, threaded a perfect through ball for the Magpies forward to claim his fourth and United’s seventh. The best chance for Ross Weatherstone’s side – who ensured Step 4 status on the final day of the 2023/24 season after a remarkable run of form in the final weeks – fell to one of five trialists used by the Binfield manager who was denied by the Magpies own trialist goalkeeper in the second half. 

 

The build up to the 2024/25 campaign continues on Tuesday night at Hanwell Town in a 7:45pm kick off.