| Super Cooper Seals Victory (25.03.07) |
|
CLEVEDON TOWN 1 (1) |
MAIDENHEAD UNITED 3 (1) |
|
A delightful goal from a free kick by
Grant Cooper sealed a satisfying sixth consecutive win for the
Magpies at Clevedon on Saturday. The game began in unfamiliar
fashion for United as they conceded an early goal, the first time
Chico Ramos had been beaten in over eight hours of play. This
was largely down to the Portuguese keeper, as with a rush of blood
to the head he charged out to meet striker Jack Pitcher and promptly
pushed him over. With Ramos lucky to receive just a yellow
card for his indiscretion, he was unable to stop the spot kick, Matt
Rawlins firing the ball firmly into the right hand corner. Stunned by this early set back, Maidenhead then set about playing themselves back into the game but continued to worry the travelling supporters when an ideal opportunity to level the score was wasted. This arrived in the 28th minute when Mike Trought was penalised for handling the ball in the penalty area. Lee Newman, with four goals in as many games confidently stepped up to take the spot kick but keeper Danny Greaves guessed correctly and saved low to his left. Maidenhead brushed off this blow and continued to push for an equaliser which arrived ten minutes before the interval. A corner on the right was swung over to the far post. Greaves came out to catch the cross but grossly misjudged his jump and with the keeper beaten Dominic Sterling was able to head the ball back across the face of the goal where Neville Roach was on hand to head the ball over the line from point blank range. Once on level terms Maidenhead now went for the kill and almost went into the break in front, a screaming shot from distance by Ashley Smith being tipped over the bar by Greaves who had also saved acrobatically from Roach earlier in the half. The second half saw the home team come out with renewed purpose but once United had weathered the early storm they took control of the game and it seemed just a question of time before they took the lead. The goal came from another corner from the right. This time the ball broke to Grant Cooper who neatly passed to the unmarked Neville Roach who drilled the ball home from 10 yards. With their noses in front, United had the scent of victory and peppered the Clevedon goal in search of a third strike. Errol Telemaque went close in the 76th minute, a curling shot from the left being palmed wide by Greaves, and then with ten minutes remaining Cooper had a free kick punched away. Using this first attempt as a sighter Cooper went one better in the 85th minute. Lining up the free kick just outside the penalty area, the former Kings Lynn defender picked his spot and chipped the ball beyond the dive of the keeper this time and into the top right corner of the goal to set the seal on a great away performance from the Magpies. |
|
|
Seasiders: Greaves, Vickerman, Trought, Scott, Clark, Hendy, Romdhain (51 Symons), Bater, Pitcher, Rawlins (65 Page), Haines (77 O'Connor). Unused subs: Jacobs. Goal: Rawlins 8 pen. Caution: Trought 27. Gate: 186. Magpies: Ramos, Nisbet, Parsons, Cooper, Sterling, Behzadi, Telemaque (85 Clarke) , Brown Da, Newman (80 Hughes), Roach (73 Romeo), Smith. Unused subs Lee, Preddie. Goals: Roach 35, 63; Cooper 85. Cautions: Ramos 7, Brown 36. Magpie of the Match: Dominic Sterling. |