A Yashwa Romeo hat trick led Maidenhead home to a 5-0 win at Beaconsfield in the County Cup on Monday night. With the big Trophy replay against Farnborough only 24 hours away, United manager Johnson Hippolyte to select an eleven consisting mostly of fringe players, but such is the strength of the Magpie squad at present that the "reserves" were a class apart from their BGB League Division One opponents. Defender Junior Edwards was handed a full debut, whilst Jake Jenkins, son of former reserve team manager Gary, came off the bench to appear in first team colours for the first time.

Maidenhead signalled their intent from the kick off, taking the lead after just 80 seconds when a smart move on the right saw Abdul Osman find Romeo in plenty of space in the box.  The striker finished comfortably with his shot taking a deflection off a SYCOB defender en route to the back of the net.  Beaconsfield were not intimidated by their lofty rivals and fought hard throughout to work their way back into the game and in the fifth minute United keeper Chico Ramos had to be at full stretch to push a Tim Walsh shot past the post.

Maidenhead doubled their lead in the 22nd minute.  This time the play came from the left with a good run from Stephen Hughes seeing the big striker unselfishly square the ball to Romeo in the penalty box who once again showed no mercy with his finish.  Beaconsfield again came close to scoring a minute later when a Martin Vrhovski header was cleared off the line, but the United lead was kept in tact until the interval.

After half time Hippolyte replaced star man Dwane Lee with Dave Fotheringham and the young midfielder lit up the game with regular interventions on the right wing.  Still it was Ramos again who was called into action just short of the hour mark when he pushed another Walsh shot round the post.  As the game drew on the fitness of the senior team began to tell and with the crossbar preserving Ramos' clean sheet Maidenhead made hay at the other end with three goals in the last twenty minutes.  First up was Fotheringham who worked well with Hughes to create a chance which Rams keeper Markus Banfry spilled allowing Fotheringham to strike home the loose ball.  Four minutes later Hughes scored the goal of the evening when he powered in a thunderbolt of a strike from a tight angle on the left wing.  Romeo completed his hat trick with two minutes remaining.

Rams: Banfry, Ellis (45 Morris), Abbott, Willment D, Canavan, Smith (53 Thirkell), Parsons, Vrovski, Gumbs, Walsh, Paget (56 Mapes).  Unused subs: Willment T, Coker.

Booking: Willment D 19.  Gate: 55

Magpies: Ramos, Johnson, Driver, Bunce, Edwards, Witt (78 Jenkins), Lee (45 Fotheringham), Osman, Hughes, Romeo, McNamara (86 Partridge).  Unused subs: Allen, Howard.

Goals: Romeo 2, 22, 88; Fotheringham 71; Hughes 75.  Booking: Driver 37.

Magpie of the Match: Dave Fotheringham.