Report: Hartpury Futsal 2-4 Maidenhead United Futsal

Maidenhead United extended their unbeaten run to four games by beating Hartpury Futsal 4-2 at Repton School, Derby. New Zealand international Brayden Lissington grabbed a hat-trick for the Magpies while fellow countryman Aran Carter rounded off the scoring. 

 

United started the game quickly and it took just three minutes for Lissington to open the scoring. Harry Tozer played a disguised pass into Lissington inside the area, who turned smartly to flick the ball, with his heel, beyond Hartpury goalkeeper Dylan Malpas. 

 

After the goal, the game fizzled out with few notable chances at either end until two minutes from half time. A snapshot from the wing by Hartpury forced Ben Lazarus to make a great save, clawing the ball away from the top corner. 

 

This appeared to give Hartpury a boost of confidence as just a minute later they equalised through Lewis Scott. Doug Reed chopped back inside and drilled a pass to the back post, giving Scott the easy job of tapping in at the far post, to get Hartpury back into the game just before half time. 

 

 

The game was flipped completely on its head just one minute into the second half, as Sam Curwen gave Hartpury the lead for the first time in the game. A smart turn on halfway by Josh Nathan allowed him to break into the United half and find Curwen in a similar fashion to their first goal, at the back post. 

 

United had to bounce back from their poor start to the second half if they wanted to get anything out of the game and within minutes of them going ahead, Hartpury gifted Maidenhead an equaliser. Hartpury’s defence gave the ball away cheaply and allowed Gillespie to pounce on the loose ball. He drove towards the goal before flicking the ball into Lissington’s path. Who rolled the ball into his path before toe-poking it into the bottom corner. 

 

Five minutes later Lissington completed his hat-trick with another fantastic finish. A United corner ended up with a scramble in the penalty area. After a couple of blocked attempts, Lissington managed to get a sweetly struck volley away that nestled in the bottom corner and gave Maidenhead the lead back. 

 

Hartpury were again architects of their own downfall as they lost the ball in their own half for a second time in the half. Gillespie was once again the beneficiary; he snatched the ball before passing to Carter who despite being under pressure finished into an empty net. 

 

 

The victory keeps The Magpies in second place behind Bloomsbury, while Hartpury remain in sixth as sides around them also failed to pick up points. The NFS Tier One takes a break for a couple of weeks as teams from all NFS leagues enter into a cup competition. Maidenhead United will head to Milton Keynes to face MK Mavericks in the first round next week.