| Billericay (H) - 06.04.02 |
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Maidenhead
United (0) 0
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Billericay
(1) 2
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| GOAL-SHY
Maidenhead United turned in a much improved performance against Billericay
at York Road on Saturday, but still failed to improve on their Ryman
League Premier Division points tally. Starting the game with three less familiar faces this season – Nick Hart in goal who was drafted into the team when Richard Barnard picked up a knock during the warm-up, Craig Webster and Adam Durrant in defence – the Magpies enjoyed a short period of dominance. However, tall front runner Danny Gilley gave United an early warning, as he raced onto a deep cross from the right and forced a good claim from Hart, on six minutes. Joe Baker then broke from midfield to fire a shot across the face of goal and, on 14 minutes, Hart had to make a fine diving save to his left to keep Dean Morris out. The chances were all falling Billericay’s way, but United were beginning to play some decent football of their own and were soon creating openings at the other end, with some neat interchanges on the edge of the box. Most were defended well and United only succeeded in forcing a string of corners, which they failed to convert. Then, as so often happens, they were caught by a sucker punch, as a long-ball forward bounced between Jamie Jarvis and Durrant, but right into the path of Gilley, who deftly lobbed the advancing keeper to establish a 24th minute lead. The goal seemed to knock the wind out of United and their previously slick passing game quickly degenerated into panic stricken pandemonium. Not a single pass found its target for at least 10 minutes, as the guests pushed up in search of a second. To be fair, United defended sensibly and, having weathered the storm, eventually broke out to win another string of corners. But, once again, they failed to find the target, Webster going closest with a powerful drive over the bar. It just was not going to be United’s day and only a brilliant diving save from Hart, on 45 minutes, allowed them to reach the turn with any hope of rescuing a point. After the break, with the half-time team talk still ringing loud in their ears, the Magpies made some encouraging progress. Only a deflection kept Obinna Ulasi’s 50th minute strike out of the net, the speedy wing-back again causing problems seven minutes later, when his curling cross forced Billericay to concede yet another corner. And, this time, the corner found its target, Jarvis going close with an angled header. Suddenly there seemed hope for United, only for that hope to be dashed on the hour, when Martin Carthy nipped in front of Hart to head home Steve Dickinson’s free-kick. A flurry of substitutions followed but, even with three players up front, United only managed one more shot on target, another header from Jarvis which was easily claimed. The York Road faithful then began singing ‘We’ll score again, don’t know where, don’t know when’, and it was clear the game was up. |
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Maidenhead
United: Hart, Webster, Morley, Kelly, Jarvis, Jeffrey, Durrant,
Allen, Ibe, Saunders, Ulasi. Subs: Connor (for Webster, 87), Channell
(for Kelly, 68), Ferdinand (for Allen, 80). |