DETERMINED defending was not enough to deny title-chasing Canvey Island all three points at York Road on Saturday, as the Thames-siders nabbed a decisive first-half winner.
The result is hardly surprising, although Canvey may have expected an easier time of it, with United almost doing enough to earn themselves a point.
However, class finally told and Maidenhead will probably consider themselves fortunate to have escaped with such a narrow defeat.
Canvey set off at a cracking pace, forcing Maidenhead to defend a corner in the very first minute. But the home side looked more assured than in recent weeks and dealt with the early pressure with some aplomb.
The visitors kept coming, and United just kept turning them away. Having nine players behind the ball certainly helped, as the useful Canvey strikers constantly found themselves outnumbered.
However, the result of this familiar tactic was thin pickings at the other end of the pitch, where Paul Scott and Lee Channell spent most of the half chasing long-balls over the top.
Only when United got men forward did they pose any real threat, which proved to be a rare occurrence.
Obinna Ulasi gave the Essex boys a minor scare on 17 minutes, when he beat the right-back for pace and lofted a lovely cross to the far post, where Paul Scott was closing in for the kill.
The defence did just enough to turn it behind, only to see Scott go close from the resulting corner.
However, the visitors responded in style, pushing Maidenhead back into the last quarter, and finally getting the ball in the back of the net on 36 minutes, only to see it ruled out for a push on Jamie Jarvis. The decision bemused the Canvey fans, as it was United’s keeper Richard Barnard who appeared to have made contact.
However, United were happy to grab the life-line and were soon threatening to break the deadlock at the other end.
On 43 minutes, a great ball forward by Tom Hickey released Channell, who drew the keeper before lobbing the ball to the far post for Scott, only to see a retreating defender make a last ditch intervention to prevent the goal.
A minute later Barry Rake’s dipping volley flew just wide of the angle and then, with half-time approaching, Scott fired a few feet wide of the target.
United were in the ascendancy, but the half had one final twist, as the visitors struck-out on the counter-attack.
Pacey full-back John Kennedy made it to the bye-line and pulled the ball back to Neil Gregory, who flicked the ball into the path of Lee Boylan to head home for his 36th goal of the season.
The game continued in its familiar pattern after the break, with Canvey dominating and United hitting them on the break.
However, as the game progressed it became clear Canvey had decided to defend their slim lead and it was Maidenhead’s turn to attack.
Half chances came and went, but it was the introduction of Andy Rose into the midfield and Ricky Ibe into attack which finally looked like swaying the game in United’s favour
Rose in particular looked keen to get his name on the scoresheet and almost managed to squeeze Ferdinand’s excellent 90th minute cross home, following a sweeping attack.
But, having survived the late scare, Canvey finished the stronger and returned to Essex with their slim promotion hopes intact.

Maidenhead: Barnard, Ferdinand, Morley, Kelly, Jarvis, Jeffrey, Hickey, Scott, Channell, Rake, Ulasi. Subs: Ibe (for Scott, 74) , Connor, Rose (for Rake, 74).

Canvey Island: Harrison, Kennedy, Duffy, Chenery, Ward, Smith, Tilson, Stimson, Gregory, Boylan, Parmenter. Subs: Bennett, Cobb (for Boylan, 90), Knight (for Duffy, 73).