Report: Wessex Futsal 6-5 Maidenhead United Futsal

Maidenhead United fell to 6-5 defeat at the hands of Wessex Futsal on Sunday, in the FA National Futsal Series. 

 

After a relatively slow start to the game and just a singular goal from either side in the first half, it wasn’t going to take much for the second to be more exciting. Harry Tozer’s opening goal halfway through the half was cancelled out by Hindle’s strike five minutes later. 

 

In the second half, the action picked up and spectators at both Andover Leisure Centre and online were treated to non-stop goals. Two goals early in the half for Wessex were quickly cancelled out by The Magpies, before constant toing and froing of goals saw Wessex eventually steal all three points. 

 

The game started off cagey with United looking most likely to score first, Diogo Luz nearly gave Maidenhead the lead, but he couldn’t make any contact on Tozer’s driven pass across goal. 

 

No more than 10 seconds later, Tozer broke free down the left before lifting his shot, into the far corner over the outstretched O’Hanlon in the Wessex net. The goal took Tozer to three in two games against Wessex and 10 for the season. 

 

Tozer was ever-present in United’s attacks and had two opportunities to double the lead, but some good goalkeeping twice denied him. 

 

No sooner could Maidenhead have made it two than Wessex equalised, United lost possession in a bad area and Hindle punished them by toe-punting his shot into the near corner. 

 

Aran Carter nearly gave The Magpies the lead again just before half time, but his volley flashed just past the post, meanings the side went into the break level. 

 

 

Maidenhead started the second half strong, and Tozer again had a great chance to score but his mis-hit shot was saved by O’Hanlon. To cap off a crazy 20 seconds, Ben Lazarus matched O’Hanlon with a strong left hand to keep out a shot from close range. 

 

The frantic start to the half didn’t stop there, Wessex scored a quick-fire double to give themselves the lead for the first time in the game. Both times United were caught high up the court and punished, Matthews tapped in on a counter for the host’s second before turning provider for the third as Bouzida tapped in. 

 

United were not deterred and responded with two off their own. James Grant grabbed the first, poking his shot into the top right corner from a tight angle before Christian Edwards equalised tucking his powerful strike into the opposite top corner. 

 

Within three minutes of the game going level, Wessex again retook the lead, twice cutting through the visitor’s defence and creating an opening for Barbosa to score. 

 

A similar diagonal ball through the defence, this time caught the host’s out. Tozer drove wide before smashing a pass back across to Carl Tappin at the back post who connected perfectly and volleyed his shot into the roof of the net. 

 

The scoring didn’t stop there though, Maidenhead thought they should have had a foul just inside the Wessex half, but nothing was given. Wessex turned over possession and won a free kick of their own, Matthews stepped up and smashed his shot though bodies and into the back of the net. 

 

With just two minutes left on the clock, United again had to respond, and they did through that combination of Tappin and Tozer once more. Tozer’s first-time pass, on the floor this time, found Tappin free at the back post to tap in. 

 

Tappin’s goal just before full time wasn’t enough to secure a point for United as Wessex scored the winner with 50 seconds remaining. They appeared to have gone over the permitted four seconds for a kick-in, but nothing was given by the referee. Nash controlled the ball well from the kick-in before turning and shooting into the top corner to give Wessex all three points. 

 

 

Maidenhead remain 5th in the league and continue to chase the play off positions, while the win for Wessex takes them into 6th just four points behind United. 

 

Neither side plays for a couple of weeks but United return for cup action on February 18th when they play Bloomsbury. Wessex have to wait until the first weekend in March when they visit Derby Futsal.