Assistant manager Ryan Peters had choice words to describe Maidenhead United’s performance following an unsuccessful trip to the Hive on Saturday afternoon. 
 
The Magpies struggled against a side which went top of the league following Saturday’s 3-0 result. For much of the game, Barnet held onto possession in United’s half, and Bees 'keeper Owen Evans was hardly troubled throughout the 90 minutes. 
 
“[It was] terrible,” said Peters on the performance after Saturday’s defeat at the Hive. “I’m trying to find some positive words to say, but unfortunately at the moment, we seem to be going up-and-down, up-and-down in terms of performance levels. Last week, we were very, very good. This week? Dreadful. We got taught a lesson today; 3-0 flatters us – it could have been five or six. Whether we press, or whether we sit off, at some point someone seems to switch off, and at the moment it's costing us.” 
 
United’s form guide echoes exactly that. The highlights of the last five games include a 3-1 and 4-1 win over Wealdstone and AFC Fylde respectively, but those results are joined by three away trips which have seen ten goals conceded and one scored. 
 
“I could make all the excuses in the world,” Peters responded when asked about the current inconsistency. “I could talk to you about the fact that we’re part-time in a full-time league; I could talk to you about budgets; I could talk to you about everything. 
 
“We’ve been doing this for a long time. We know we have periods of indifference. This is the third period of indifference, and it needs to change. We’re working as hard as we can on the pitch, we’re trying to get as many boys back fit as possible to understand the Alan Devonshire way, and we’re hoping for a change really quick.” 
 
Saturday's game saw Bradley Keetch step in for the injured Reece Smith, while Miles Welch-Hayes’ time on the treatment table also paved the way for Owen Cochrane's return to the starting XI. Peters noted that both had been impressive during midweek training. 
 
“Miles and Reece both had to come off in the game [against AFC Fylde] because of injuries – we’d hoped that they’d be okay for today,” Peters said, “But also, Owen and Brad have been training well, so it was an opportunity for those two to come in. It wasn’t a game where any of our players stood out today, so unfortunately it didn’t help them.” 
 
The Barnet fixture would prove to be United’s last for a fortnight. Tuesday’s National League Cup game was postponed due to the elements, while a planned home game against Aldershot Town has been pushed back due to their progression in the Isuzu FA Trophy. As things stand, the next time Maidenhead will be in action will be the home fixture against Southend United on Saturday, 8th February. 
 
“The Gaffer’s been clear that it’s not good enough. He’s expecting everybody to train and train properly ready for this game on Tuesday,” Peters said prior to the game’s postponement. “It’s another game we’re going to be taking as seriously as possible. It’s another game where we’re allowing individuals to have another chance to show their qualities. We’ve got a bit of a break after that, but essentially we’re going to train as hard as we can and get our performance levels to where they need to be.” 
 
A new date for the rearranged National League Cup tie against Southampton U21 will be announced in due course. 
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