Maidenhead United 2 (1)

A late winner from Mark Nisbet handed Maidenhead United a place in the FA Cup 3^rd Qualifying Round on Saturday at a bleak Essex venue.

The first half saw little in the way of goal mouth action, instead the elements played a starring role with in turn bright sunshine, torrential rain and a gusty wind providing the main talking points.

Having been perhaps marginally second best in the first half, Maidenhead went forward with more confidence in the second and took the lead ten minutes after the break when Dwain Clarke chanced a speculative long shot from the left wing.  The ball bumbled along a 30 yard route into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0 to the Magpies.  Maidenhead continued to dominate the game from this point and should have wrapped up the win in the 72^nd minute when a Clark flick header put Lee Newman through only for Rocks goalkeeper Jamie Riley to save at the striker’s feet.

This gave the home team renewed hope and they proceeded to throw the kitchen sink at Maidenhead in a bid to maintain their Cup run.  A warning of their intent came in the 73^rd minute when Keith Martin beat Chico Ramos with his shot only to see it hit the post.  Three minutes later Martin went one better when Ramos was unable to hold onto a Danny Hayzelden effort, Martin completing the elementary task of putting the loose ball into the empty net.  With eight minutes remaining East Thurrock could have completed their comeback when Martin took advantage of some hesitant defending to present teammate Jon Turnbull with a golden opportunity to score, however he passed up the chance of an open goal and put the ball wide.

With three minutes on the clock it was Maidenhead’s turn to expose some weak defending a stray back pass going behind for a corner on the right.  The place kick was floated into the box perfectly by Clarke eluding everybody until it reached Nisbet at the far post who bundled the ball over the line to take the Magpies into the next round.

Rocks: Riley, Williams, Holding, Faulkner, Lunan, Dafter, Turnbull, Harrison (89 Mully), John (45 Martin), Bunn (57 Hayzelden).  Unused subs: Lewis, Brooks.

Goal: Martin 76.  Bookings: Dafter 74, Williams 85.

Magpies: Ramos, Smith, Parsons, Sterling, Nisbet, Lewington (83 Osman), Romeo (89 Haule), Witt, O’Connor (83 Hughes), Newman, Clarke.  Unused subs: Bunce, Burnell.

Goals: Clarke 55, Nisbet 87.  Bookings: Witt 38, Ramos 90.  Gate: 122

Magpie Of The Match: Nisbet