Magpies find their shooting boots (24.10.02)

HAVING struggled to score goals in recent weeks, Maidenhead United rediscovered their shooting boots on Saturday to record a 3-0 win over Ford United, followed by a pulsating 4-4 draw with unbeaten Kingstonian on Tuesday night.
The end of the goal drought clearly came as a great relief to manager Alan Devonshire, who has spent the last month trying to nurse his strikers through a barren patch.
Throughout that time, the coach has repeatedly called for patience, insisting results would come – and so it proved.
He said: “Saturday was a close game up until we scored. Then our confidence came flowing back and we went on to win it easily.
“It’s just a matter of confidence.
“When players are having a bad time they have to work through it and come back. The boys deserve some real credit for doing that.”
United’s detractors may point out that Ford are hardly setting the Premier Division on fire, as they are currently second from bottom with just nine points to their name.
However, Tuesday night’s opponents Kingstonian were an entirely different proposition, as they are the only team in the league yet to lose a game.
Devonshire said: “They’re the best side we have played. They just kept coming and coming and coming.
“They really pummelled us. But we scored on our first attack after 20 minutes, then it was end-to-end for the rest of the match.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t win, but I would have settled for that result before the game.”
Unfortunately, the game was marred by the absence in goal of Richard Barnard, who was still in hospital after being attacked outside his parent’s home on Saturday night.
Devonshire said: “He’s got a perforated eardrum and a fractured skull.
“The boys knew about it on Tuesday night and they were all gutted, which was another reason I was so pleased with the way they played.”
United have no fixtures this week, but are back in action on Saturday, November 2, when they travel to Tonbridge to take on the Angels in the FA Trophy.