Report: Maidenhead United Futsal 4-2 Wessex Futsal

United came from behind to maintain unbeaten start to the season 

 

Maidenhead secured another three points in the league with a 4-2 win over Wessex Futsal Club. Geographically, the game is United’s closest thing to a derby and the teams showed the fight that would be expected of such a fixture. Cards were plenty, a total of seven yellows and a red card were shown in an attempt to calm down a feisty game. Harry Tozer again scored a brace to complete the comeback, started by Brayden Lissington and Aran Carter’s goals on either side of halftime. 

 

United started strong and created a couple of openings inside the first two minutes, forcing some good saves from goalkeeper Ben O’Hanlon. 

 

But it was Wessex who took the lead, a stray Maidenhead pass was picked up on the edge of the area by Wessex who took advantage and tucked the ball into the bottom left corner. 

 

One soon turned to two for Wessex, this time a long ball from defence found Wessex’s attacker in behind the United defence. The attacker got to the ball just in time to poke past Ben Lazarus, who came out of goal to close down the angle. 

 

The game seemed to go dry for the next 10 minutes, United were probing for a goal to get back into the game but with little luck, while Wessex were happy to try and hold onto their lead. The Magpies found their opening a few minutes before halftime through an intricate corner kick routine. Lissington stepped over the ball to evade the defender, leaving it to Tozer. Tozer pulled the ball back to Lissington on the edge, who had continued his run, and finished into the corner. 

 

 

Chasing the game, United started the second half strong and were rewarded with an equaliser through another set-piece goal. A simple setback to Carter on the edge who arrowed his first-time shot into the far corner through bodies. 

 

With United now level, the momentum had swayed in their favour, and they looked most likely to score next. This was boosted when Wessex’s Terry New was sent off for a second late tackle, reducing Wessex down to three court players until either United scored or 2 minutes had been played. 

 

United dominated the ‘power play’ they had earned from the red card and were able to easily pass round a numerically disadvantaged Wessex defence. The dominance paid off and United were able to take the lead for the first time in the game. Tozer was the scorer, a pass from Josh Gillespie took O’Hanlon out of the game leaving Tozer with the easy task of stabbing the ball into an empty net. 

 

Following the goal Wessex returned to four court players and began to push again to reclaim the lead they once had. They managed to get some good shots away but nothing that Tom Dutton in the United net wasn’t equal to. 

 

Time was running out and it looked like United would secure the win, 15 seconds from time the result was made certain. Tozer doubled his tally for the day, a nice one-two on halfway between Tozer and Seth Burkett rolled Tozer in on goal and he was able to poke the ball under the on-rushing goalkeeper. 

 

 

Three points for United means they sit level on points with league leaders Bloomsbury, only trailing them on goal difference. While Wessex remains the only team in the league yet to have any points on the board – two losses from two.