A picture-book freekick from former Torquay player Josh Umerah earned Maidenhead a very useful point at Plainmoor to deny the league leaders who were consequently knocked off their perch at the top of the division.
Ryan Peters was forced into one change to the side which had secured a dramatic last gasp victory at Tonbridge in midweek, Will de Havilland missing out with a back injury to be replaced by Remy Clerima as the armband was taken by Tuesday night’s goalscoring hero Matt Robinson.
The hosts – who suffered their first defeat in 2026 in midweek – came out of the blocks quickly and dominated much of the first half. The Gulls bright play saw Manny Onariase deny the dangerous Louis Dennis and further blocks from Manny and Jordon Ragguette keeping the scoresheet blank. As the half wore on Ragguette went closest with a shot across the face of goal before Umerah nodded a Dulson cross wide at the near post. The first goal however came less than five minutes before the break, the impressive Sonny-Blu Lo-Everton’s quick feet in the area beat the United defence and the tidy finish gave the Devon side the lead at the break.
After the break, the game became an entertaining end-to-end affair. The Magpies had already gone close with Hamon in the home goal tipping over a Clerima header from a Josh Popoola free-kick prior to an important save from Van Stappershoef to deny Matt Worthington. The next Maidenhead attacking free-kick a minute later was to be a key moment in this game – the marauding Liam Dulson was taken down the edge of the area as he made inroads towards goal. On the Tuesday night Umerah saw a free-kick strike the bar. This time he bent it perfectly over the wall and past the despairing Hamon.
From then on the sides traded chances in an increasing frantic match. Dulson was denied by Hamon at the ‘keeper’s near post before load shouts for a Torquay penalty kick saw Louis Dennis cautioned and a further yellow card issued to the home bench. Van Stappershoef saved from Jordan Young with his legs before perhaps the best chance in open play for Maidenhead – Dulson again drove at goal, saw his shot parried with Popoola unable to steer the rebound home.
Van Stappershoef made an unorthodox but effective save with his legs near the death, before substitute Dillon De Silva – another former Gull – on the break forced Hamon into a save. This slow burner of a game nearly had a late winner for Torquay when Umerah was forced to clear from the line with Van Stappershoef beaten at last. But after a long period of injury time Maidenhead had a point which their endeavour deserved.
Magpies: Van Stappershoef, Ragguette, Mantle, Yearwood, Mitchell-Lawson (sub 81’ De Silva), Robinson, Umerah, Dulson (sub 90+4' Eubank), Clerima, Popoola, Onariase (sub 58’ Welch-Hayes). Subs not used: Collins, Bartley, Pritchard, Cochrane.
Gulls: Hamon, Foulston, Dreyer, Sundire, Dennis, Young, Morgan, Palmer, Worthington, Hayfield, Lo-Everton. Subs: Cooke, Seedhouse-Evans, James, Wilson, Thomas, Jay,
Attendance: 3,171 (70 travelling Magpies)
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