United face the best (14.03.03)

MAIDENHEAD United will need to rediscover their shooting boots if they hope to beat free-scoring Canvey Island tomorrow (Saturday) at York Road.
The Essex boys are undefeated in the league since mid-November.
They have also scored 24 goals in their last seven games, while conceding just four.
United manager Alan Devonshire said: “They’re definitely the best team in the league at the moment.
“It should be a good game, so we’re hoping for a good crowd and a good atmosphere.
“They’re a very good side, but if we play well enough we’ll get a result.”
However, United’s prospects of recording a shock win might be hampered by their continuing run of poor form at York Road.
In fact, only rock-bottom Hampton & Richmond and Braintree Town have picked up fewer points at home.
Devonshire added: “It’s not something we’re happy with and we’re trying hard to turn it round.
“This is a difficult league and everyone can beat everyone else on their day. I’m not making excuses. It is something we need to fix.But perhaps it’s just one of those things.”
Worryingly, United’s inability to finish-off teams at York Road resurfaced at Kingstonian on Saturday, when they enjoyed the majority of the chances but failed to find the back of the net and slumped to a 2-0 defeat.
The neutral observer might say that the Magpies played well enough and were simply unlucky, but manager Alan Devonshire was less generous.
He said: “We lost on Saturday, and deserved to lose. We didn’t play well.
“The conditions were really bad. It was very windy and it was swirling round the ground, but we didn’t adapt”

Bishop’s Stortford’s visit to York Road on Tuesday evening does offer some hope for a home victory, although the Hertfordshire side have been improving of late, beating Hitchin, Billericay and Sutton in successive games last month.
Devonshire said: “They’ve signed new players to try and make sure they don’t go down, so it’s going to be difficult.
“They’re fighting for their lives and the injuries we have at the moment aren’t going to help us.”