By Michael Murphy
A last-minute winner secured three points for Maidenhead United over playoff rivals Maidstone United on Saturday, 7th March.
A packed crowd filled York Road on Saturday afternoon, with both sides looking to put on a show and strengthen their play-off hopes in a tightly contested division.
Both teams started brightly, but Maidenhead looked the more likely to strike first. Josh Popoola delivered a deep cross towards Remy Clerima, who nodded it back across goal. A shot was fired through a crowded penalty area, but Maidstone goalkeeper Lenny Holden was able to gather comfortably.
Maidenhead then came agonisingly close to taking the lead. Liam Dulson almost slotted home his 12th goal of the season after a slick move involving Popoola, Robinson and Clerima, but when Dulson was played in on goal his effort beat the goalkeeper, struck the post and bounced back out.
Popoola continued to cause problems for the Maidstone defence. The winger produced another dazzling run, gliding past two defenders on the edge of the penalty area before appearing to be fouled inside the box. Despite huge appeals from the home crowd, the referee quickly waved play on.
The Magpies eventually took the lead inside the opening 20 minutes. Clerima rose highest to meet Popoola’s in-swinging corner and powered a towering header past Holden and into the roof of the net. The Maidstone defence had failed to pick him up at the near post, and the defender made them pay.
A brilliant save from van Stappershoef kept the Magpies’ lead intact after he quickly smothered Jamie Yila’s attempt on goal following a quick one-two with Deon Moore to get in behind the solid Maidenhead defence.
The home side soon threatened again after a rare spell of sustained possession. Dulson found space between the Maidstone centre-backs following a clever pass from strike partner Josh Umerah, but Leo Hamblin produced a superb last-ditch tackle to deny what looked like a certain penalty opportunity.
Maidstone earned their first corner shortly afterwards. The ball was fizzed into Moore’s feet just inside the Magpies half and, after a quick one-two, he managed to get a shot away, but Miles Welch-Hayes blocked bravely with his foot.
As the first half drew to a close, the visitors began to grow into the game and started to apply pressure on the Maidenhead defence.
Half-time: Magpies 1-0 Maidstone
Maidstone carried their late first-half momentum into the second period, linking play with quick one-touch passing.
Maidenhead still looked dangerous on the counter, however. Ryan Bartley produced a superb pass to release Dulson down the right, and his delivery into the penalty area forced a defender to turn the ball behind for a corner.
The home side were then denied a second goal by the woodwork for the second time in the match. After a corner was only partially cleared, Dulson picked up the loose ball and delivered a deep cross to the back post. Captain Will De Havilland rose above his marker and powered a header goalwards, but the effort crashed against the post.
Dulson continued to look lively and nearly extended the lead moments later. The forward unleashed a fierce strike from 25 yards out, forcing Holden to make a strong save as he parried the ball away to his right.
With around 30 minutes remaining, the match developed into a tense and tightly contested encounter, with both sides fully aware of the importance of the result in the race for the play-offs.
Maidstone eventually found their equaliser with just under 20 minutes to play. A dangerous left-footed cross from Leo Hamblin caused chaos inside the penalty area, and the ball fell kindly to Deon Moore, who reacted quickly to fire a snapshot into the bottom left corner.
The visitors sensed an opportunity and pushed forward in search of a winner. Ruben Carvalho then tested van Stappershoef with a superb curling effort from the edge of the box, forcing the goalkeeper into a full-stretch save at his top-left corner.
With just over five minutes remaining, the match still felt wide open. The longer the game went on, the more it seemed either side could find a dramatic late winner.
Both teams continued to push forward in what proved to be a superb advertisement for the National League South, with so much still riding on the result in the race for the play-offs.
The Magpies found the winner in the dying seconds of the game to take home the all-important three points as Josh Popoola found the back of the net from the penalty spot from 12 yards out. Holden guessed the right way and got a hand to the ball, but the power on the shot was enough to squeeze past him and roll into the net.
The York Road crowd erupted behind the goal as the Maidenhead fans celebrated what proved to be a crucial late winner.
Full-time: Magpies 2-1 Maidstone
Magpies: Jordi van Stappershoef, Bartley (Yearwood, 80’), Ragguette, De Havilland, Welch-Hayes (de Silva, 77’), Mitchell-Lawson (Onariase, 65’), Robinson, Umerah, Dulson (Pendlebury, 77’), Clerima, Popoola (Odelusi, 90’).
Maidstone: Holden, Hamblin, Fowler, Bramble, Tanga (Sesay, 82’), Sam, Corne (Carvalho, 62’), Moore (Kargbo, 62’), Yila (Gilbert, 38’), Agbontohoma, Court, Foran.
Attendance: 1,265
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