Report: Farnborough 1-1 Maidenhead United

Honours were even in Maidenhead United’s final pre-season test as the Magpies played out a 1-1 draw against Farnborough at the Saunders Transport Community Stadium. Shawn McCoulsky’s first half penalty was cancelled out by Olly Pendlebury’s free-kick just after the hour mark in what was an even affair. 

 

Just five minutes into the game Will De Havilland came close, nodding down an in-swinging free-kick towards the near post but it was easily saved by Jack Turner in the Boro net. 

 

Continuing an exciting opening ten minutes, Mason Bloomfield had a great chance to give Farnborough the lead, but Craig Ross pulled off an incredible point blank save to keep it 0-0. 

 

With 15 minutes on the clock, Shawn McCoulsky pounced on a defensive error, opening plenty of space in the area, but his shot crashed off the crossbar and was adjudged not to have crossed the line by the linesman. 

 

After a fairly cagey 20 minutes, a chance fell the way of Trialist A, but he was unable to get his shot on target at the back post. Just minutes later, Remy Clerima’s surging run won the Magpies a penalty which was duly converted by Shawn McCoulsky into the bottom right corner. 

 

 

A first United chance of the second half fell the way of Jadyn Dundas who cut in from the right on his left foot, looking to curl his effort into the far top corner, but it flew just over the upright. 

 

Next, it was Ruben Carvalho’s turn to cause havoc down the right, two good pieces of skill opened a shooting opportunity but ‘keeper Turner is equal to his effort. 

 

Farnborough found a route back into the game through Olly Pendlebury, his free-kick from the corner of the area snuck its way into the near post and levelled up proceedings. 

 

Within minutes of the host’s equalising, they had a great chance to take the lead. A ball into the box found its way to Ollie Robinson, who from six yards out missed the target. 

 

Carvalho came close to giving United the lead, with 12 to go, he latched onto Jayden Mitchell-Lawson’s cross, but his shot was blocked as it looked goal-bound. 

 

The Magpies probed in the closing minutes but to no avail as the game fizzled out towards the referee’s final whistle. 

 

 

A 1-1 draw and some more important minutes in the tank concludes United’s pre-season action with full focus now on Eastleigh back at York Road at 3pm on August 10th. 

 

Farnborough: Jack Turner, Josh Casey, Ollie Robinson (Pruti 79’), Guy Hollis, Richard Chin (Matthew-Lewis 73’), Ricky Holmes, Olly Pendlebury, Taylor Clark (Oyeleke 45’), Dan Bradshaw (Fearn 45’), Reggie Young, Mason Bloomfield 

 

Maidenhead United: Craig Ross ©, Zac Bell, Will De Havilland (Massey 45’), Kevin Lokko, Ruben Carvalho, Nathan Ferguson, Shawn McCoulsky (Abrahams 70’), Remy Clerima, Trialist A, Jadyn Dundas (Keetch 62’), Joseph Ajose (Mitchell-Lawson 68’)