Solid Magpies dig deep at The Warren (25.02.06)

A HARDWORKING performance allied to a well organised defensive unit ensured the Magpies bagged a deserved, if unexpected, victory at The Warren on Saturday.
Despite facing a gale in the first half which saw them pinned in their own half for long periods, the Magpies produced an assured display against a team 11 places and 16 points ahead of them in the Conference South table.
The Magpies lined up with a solid five-man defence, marshalled by skipper Nathan Bunce, which barely gave the Yeading strikers a kick, while the midfield, of which Craig Lewington was outstanding, ensured the home side never enjoyed any time on the ball in the last third.
Although they set their stall out to make life difficult for Yeading, it was the Magpies who always looked the more likely to score, and from aerial crosses and set pieces generally, they had the nod over a lacklustre Yeading.
Against the strong northerly for the first 45 minutes, the Magpies would have been content to have gone in at the break within striking distance of their hosts.
But in fact they took a crucial 1-0 lead in with them, thanks to a 12th minute effort from Chris Wild.
The goal came from a well-delivered corner from Steve Dell for which the tall, rangy centre-half out-jumped his markers to powerfully head home.
It was a simple goal which highlighted one of Yeading’s weaknesses while underlining the Magpies best chance of scoring.
However, as the half wore on, Yeading were able to force the Magpies onto the backfoot with wind-assisted crosses, while the visitors’ defence struggled to clear their lines.
But thanks to a battling rearguard display, the Magpies restricted Yeading to one half-chance when Adam Everitt drifted in at the far post and was about to thump home a deep cross when Dell took it of his boot.
Not conceding before the break was a huge bonus for the visitors, and now with the momentum and wind in their favour they set about securing the points.
On 57 minutes Nana Badu, who had toiled as a lone striker, produced a terrific strike from distance, which forced keeper Luke Blackmore into an excellent one-handed save.
But this was a short reprieve because from the resulting corner, the ball eventually found its way to Mark Graham who delivered it into the heart of the Yeading box. Bunce, who had gone up for the corner, lashed the loose ball home after a scramble from six yards.
After this Yeading became more frustrated and deflated, failing to trouble a confident Magpies team.
When Ben Huddell was dismissed for kicking the ball away, his second bookable offence in five minutes, Yeading’s misery was complete and the Magpies had snatched just their third win on the road this season.

CROWD PLEASER: The Maidenhead United players surround Chris Wild to congratulate him on scoring the first goal at Yeading on Saturday. Picture by Nigel Keene.

Yeading: Blackmore, Behadzi, Everitt, Yeboah, Saroya, Huddell, Belaid, Quamina, Williams, Morgan, Clarke. Subs: Rose (for Saroya, 58), Hughes (for Belaid, 58), Roache (for Williams, 69), Haule and Stevens (not used).
Maidenhead United: Tarr, Dell, Parsons, Bunce, Wild, Bruce, Graham, Saeed-Osman, Badu, Bradshaw, Lewington. Subs: Ashe (for Bradshaw, 62), Romeo (for Graham, 72), Glynn, Hughes and Stevenson.