Conceding 10 goals is just a blip (Story posted 03.01.02)

DESPITE having shipped 10 goals in their last two games, Maidenhead United remain in the top half of the Ryman League Premier Division table, and should only get better.
This is the view of club chaiman Roger Coombs, who is delighted with the prospects going into 2002.
He said: “Things have been going pretty well. We would have settled for 10th in the table at Christmas, at the start of the season.
“Barring something extraordinary, because only one team is being relegated, it’s nice to be able to say we do not have any relegation worries.”
Coombs was not only pleased with the position, but also the manner in which the team are performing.
He commented: “We are playing well. We now look like a Premier Division team, whereas last season we still looked like a Division 1 side trying to cope.
“We’ve had a change in tactics, and with changes in personnel, things have looked good.”
He praised the efforts of 19-years-old Rob Saunders, who has made a name for himself since breaking into the team over the past couple of months.
“Rob Saunders has really made a difference. He makes those killing passes, that let in the strikers.”
He added; “He’s at that situation where you can see him almost improve by the game.
“It’s even more impressive when you think he did not even feature during the start of the season.”
The only blip recently has come in the last two games where United have conceded five goals against Hampton and, on Saturday, despite having a good keeper in Richard Barnard and solid players like Steve Croxford at the back, at Purfleet.
But Coombs saw this as ‘one of those things’ and was confident that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the defence.
Weather permitting, the backs might have an easier time when United entertains struggling Bedford Town tomorrow (Saturday).
Although Bedford do not concede too many goals given their predicament, they seem to have a problem hitting the back of the net, winning just four of their 22 starts.

United’s clash away to Hitchin has been moved to Saturday, January 12.