Magpies draw a blank in dreary Hendon defeat (30.08.03)

THE Magpies made the long trip to Kettering on Tuesday night, and, despite a much improved performance, came away pointless, after a last minute penalty sealed victory for the Poppies.
The first half was a highly entertaining affair, with both sides dedicated to playing attacking football.
Less than 10 minutes into the game, a Craig Farley throw was only partially cleared and Martyn Lee saw his follow-up shot cleared off the line.
However, after some enterprising football, United took a deserved lead on 13 minutes, when a long ball out of defence from Martin Williams found Lawrence Yaku in space behind the defence.
He took the ball round Pettinger in the home goal, only to completely miskick what appeared to be an easy shot.
Recovering quickly, he atoned for his mistake by slotting the ball home from a tight angle under pressure from the back-tracking defence.
United keeper Nick Hart was forced into a good save from Turner, following a strong run by former Aldershot winger Richard Graham, but he had little chance when Kettering equalised after 27 minutes.
Gareth Paxton was caught in two minds trying to control the ball on the edge of the area and Paschallis robbed him, rounded the hapless defender and slotted home.
Both sides created chances in what remained of the half, with Paschalis in particular finding room to weave his magic on the right.
And it was he who set up the second goal for Kettering with the last action of the half. 
Allowed too much space on the right, Paschalis sent a pin-point cross to the far post, where Paul Fewings had the easy task of heading home.
After the break, early mistakes at the back gave the home side a good chance to extend their lead, but Butterworth could only fire his shot against the defensive legs.
The Magpies came close to equalising when a Lee corner was headed on at the near post, but Ian King cleared off the line.
Hart almost gifted Kettering a goal on the hour, when a free-kick was floated into the box by Matthews, which the keeper dropped, forcing Brian Connor to clear the danger.
As the half wore on, however, United became the dominant side, going forward in some style but generally lacking the killer punch in front of goal.
But Kettering still posed a threat on the counter-attack and, with five minutes to go, Connor underhit a back-pass, allowing substitue Brian Hardie a free run on goal, only to fire high and wide in his unecessary haste.
The game ended in controversial circumstances as, with a minute to go, Kettering broke on the counter again, Graham fed the ball into space and Hardie ran on to the ball in front of goal.
His shot under pressure seemed to run along the line and was cleared to safety.
However, the referee had spotted Williams pulling the forward back and promptly awarded a penalty, followed by a red card for Williams for a professional foul.
Captain Craig Norman stepped up to complete Maidenhead’s misery, by placing the spot-kick well wide of Hart.

Maidenhead United: Hart, Farley, Connor, McIntosh, Durrant, Paxton, Ashe, Currie, Yaku, Lee, Williams. Subs: Gray, Dreyer, Cruse, Wilson.
Kettering Town: Pettinger, Duke, Norman, King, Solkhon, Matthews, Paschalis, Butterworth, Turner, Fewings, Graham. Subs: Gordon, Clarice, Hardie, Murphy, Gourlay.