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An opportunist strike from
Ben Wright in the twenty fourth minute ultimately gave Hampton all three points despite
Maidenhead going all out to equalise in the second half at the Beveree last night.
With the presence of ex
Maidenhead manager Alan Devonshire on the Hampton bench and several ex
Magpies in his squad, the game had something of a derby feel to it, and the
first half lived down to expectations of a hard fought scrap.
As both teams competed to send the ball into orbit, the bells pealed from
the local church as if to encourage parishioners to go and pray for the
fate of the ball. The one highlight of the first half was the only
goal of the game. Ben Wright picked the ball up midway inside the
United half, and with the defence backing off to give him room, he probed
further forward down the left before picking his spot, unleashing a
delightful finish to score from 20 yards. Maidenhead had no reply to
this, although the odd foray down the wing by Ashley Smith and Dale Binns showed what was possible if the footballing option was taken.
The prevailing mood at half
time amongst supporters though saw them looking pleadingly to Beaver
president and comic writing genius Alan Simpson for some light relief from
the Bergmanesque misery playing out in front of
them.
After the break the match turned into a game of one half, Hampton’s, as the Magpies tore into
the opposition in search of an equaliser. With both wings now being used to
full effect, the formidable trio of Hampton
centre backs drew breath and prepared for the onslaught. With their
comrades scuttling around them to repel the Maidenhead assault, the defence
held firm, with corpulent goalkeeper Matt Lovett rarely called into action.
United’s big chance
came in the 62nd minute. Lee Newman combined well with Dale Binns on the left, Binns’
cross eluding the defence and falling to Behzadi
on the penalty spot, but with the goal at his mercy the Iranian midfielder
blasted the ball over the bar. Maidenhead manager Johnson Hippolyte then shuffled his pack introducing Rocky Baptiste up front and Ben Surey
in the midfield. It was Surey who had the
greatest impact playing well up the field, buzzing around the edge of the
box to induce panic regularly in the Hampton
defence.
As time wore on United
continued to turn the screw although the focus on attack did leave gaps at
the back which almost proved fatal with eight minutes remaining when Craig
Tanner headed wide from point blank range.
Still United continued to
press for a goal, and won a succession of corners as the clock ticked into
stoppage time. Even Maidenhead keeper Shane Gore joined in, but even
with all 22 players in the Hampton half, a
goal was still not forthcoming, the referee’s final whistle
signalling relief for Hampton
at having withheld the siege, and frustration for the men in black and
white stripes.
Beavers: Lovett, Fernandes,
Tanner, Jeffrey, Scarborough, Wells, Tyson, McAuley,
Wright (73 Hodges), Yaku (73 Lake),
Matthews.
Unused subs: Ruddick,
Braithwaite, Robinson.
Goal: Wright 24.
Cautions: Matthews 19,
Tanner 51.
Magpies: Gore, Smith T (67 Surey),
Fyfield, Behzadi, Sterling, Nisbet, Smith A, Nicholls, Pacquette,
Newman (67 Baptiste), Binns.
Unused subs: Bernard, Hinds, Carter.
Crowd: 390.
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