City mugged by thieving Magpies (22.01.05)

CLINICAL finishing coupled with stern defending saw the Magpies complete a classic smash-and-grab raid on fellow strugglers St Albans City on Saturday, which lifts United off the foot of the table.
Both halves followed a similar pattern, with St Albans having the lions share of possession and setting camp in the Maidenhead half, only for the Magpies to have the best goal scoring opportunities with some swift counter-attacking.
The opening goal came from the very first Maidenhead attack in the fourth minute.
Kelvin McIntosh made a driving run down the middle of the pitch before neatly threading a pass through the Saints back line to Craig
O’Connor, who made no mistake with a cool finish to beat the keeper.
United almost doubled their lead on 11 minutes when Saints keeper Paul Bastock fumbled a Dean Clark corner but the ball was scrambled clear.
The best St Albans effort of the half came from the predictable source of ex QPR forward Lee Charles but his shot looped just past the upright.
Maidenhead were quickly out of the blocks again after the restart.
Jamie Cook had a great run and shot which was parried by Bastock on 46 minutes, then within a minute O’Connor latched onto a Clark long ball only for his shot to be comfortably saved.
Saints then pressed for an equaliser but did little to trouble Ade Bankole in the Maidenhead goal, their attacks floundering on the rock of the United defence.
On 76 minutes Maidenhead scored the second crucial goal when Barrie Matthews unselfishly squared the ball to Lawrence Yaku who tapped home from the shortest of distances.
Cook again went close on 85 minutes, before St Albans finally hit the back of the net when Nick Roddis finished off a mazy run by beating Bankole.
With just two minutes left on the clock Saints threw everything at the Magpies, with substitute Tom Beech spurning two great opportunities to score.
But, after four painfully long minutes of injury time, the referee blew his whistle for the final time.


United’s enforced lay off seems to have done the team good, as they are largely injury free.
One new addition has also been made to the squad, with Jamie Cox, a highly promising young forward, signed from Windsor. Cox scored a hat-trick for the Reserves in Tuesday night’s 7-1 win over Downley Albion.
Peter Adeniyi has extended his loan from Lewes for a second month, and Dennis Greene is also looking to sign a left back from a Conference South club.
Those leaving York Road include Luke Townsend, who has been recalled by QPR, and Rob Saunders, who has left for Burnham.

The Margate away game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 15.

CRASH: St Albans City keeper Paul Bastock brings down Craig O’Connor, but the ball is already in the back of net.