Depleted Maidenhead United Under 18s kept their focus to advance through a tricky FA Youth Cup 1st Qualifying Round tie against St Albans City at York Road on Friday night.
The Magpies side – composed of players from both the Isthmian Youth League and the National League Youth Alliance squads – seemed destined to cruise through this match when they led two-nil within twenty minutes of the start. Both goals came from Ollie Hunt. The opener came when Ryo Kanashiro broke up a St Albans attack and sprayed the ball out to Amari Dumont who sped down the right flank and his pass into the box found Hunt who was able to take a touch to compose himself before scoring right footed from six yards out.
The second came when Matteo Cedrola played an excellent long ball over the top to find Hunt onside and the Magpies forward had the composure to go around the goalkeeper slot his shot home despite the desperate lunge of the St Albans defender. The Magpies had the ball in the net again following an excellent Cedrola cross but they were denied by the assistant’s flag and a minute later they were made to pay as the visitors scored a lucky goal when Henry Hunter received a short corner and his pot shot at goal hit Harry Pashley on the back, with the ball looping up at an impossible angle and spinning past the wrong footed Tom Moulder in the Maidenhead goal into the roof of the net.
The tie was turned on its head before the hour mark. Firstly Dumont was given a red card, and the ten men then conceded from St Albans very next attack – a corner hit the thigh of Saints captain Ollie Baker and looped into the goal. Thereafter the game became a cagey one with United having to adapt to being a player short. Having weathered a St Albans resurgence, Maidenhead ended the game the more likely to win in normal time but there was no further scoring. The match therefore was decided by spot-kicks in a shoot-out that was every bit as dramatic as what had gone before.
Murphy Camp-Overy and Oliver Druce found the net confidently either side of the Saints first successful kick, Moulder then saved brilliantly from Joe Bigg but was adjudged to have moved off his line too early and Bigg had the composure to score successfully at the second time of asking. Alfie Carver sent the visiting ‘keeper the wrong way, the visitors levelled for 3-3 before Callum Anderson converted his kick to restore United’s lead. Hunter for St Albans then beat Moulder with his kick but was ruled to have struck the ball before the referee was ready, the kick had to be retaken and this time it was sent over the crossbar. Ryo Kanashiro then took the opportunity to win the game, again sending the visiting goalkeeper the wrong way.
United will now entertain local rivals Slough Town in the Second Qualifying Round at York Road on Monday 29th September.
Share this post: