Crouching Tigers pose hidden goal-threat (19.08.06)

MAIDENHEAD United were victims of a West Country mugging on Saturday, as two late, opportunistic strikes denied them an opening-day victory over Gloucester City.
Starting with seven debutants, United dominated the first half, forcing Gloucester to defend deeply and desperately.
The key man for Maidenhead was Dwain Clarke, who looked a class apart, waltzing through the Tigers’ defence like a hot knife through butter.
However, his steady supply of crosses found no able finisher, with the only save of note from Gloucester’s Matt Bath coming in the seventh minute, when Clarke linked up with Stuart Beevor to supply Brian Haule, whose effort was well saved.
As the half wore on, Clarke started to go for goal himself, hitting the side netting in the 34th minute then, on the stroke half-time, his speculative, long shot could only be pushed over the bar.
Gloucester took heart from the let off and, with Maidenhead midfielder Richard Witt having to go to hospital with a nasty cut, looked to tear into United from the whistle in the second half.
This swiftly produced results when a Jason Welsh header rattled the underside crossbar only to bounce to safety.
Maidenhead capitalized on their own let off by taking the lead in the 53rd minute, when Clarke struck a low shot from outside the penalty area into the back of the net.
Ten minutes later it was almost two, Adrian Allen forcing a great double save from Bath.
Three substitutions for Gloucester changed the game and the hosts finished the stronger, levelling the scores when Aaron Wilson smashed home a low shot in the 81st minute, after Jason Welsh had helped on a low cross from Jody Bevan.
Just when it seemed they had nabbed an undeserved point, City had the audacity to take all three, when Jamie Reid let fly with a half-volley from fully 30 yards, which gave Chico Ramos no chance in the United goal.
As Maidenhead poured forward to salvage something from the game, Welsh almost made it three, only for Ramos to save well in injury time.

Gloucester City: Bath, Miller (for Reid, 73), Wilson, Thompson, Hamblin, Tompkins, Fowler, Webb, Welsh, Corbett (for Tustain, 66), Sykes (for Bevan, 79). Unused Subs: Randall, Mustoe.
Maidenhead United: Ramos, Smith, Parsons, Bunce, Sterling, Witt (for Newman, 40), Beevor (for Romeo, 85), Nisbet, Haule, Allen, Clarke. Unused Subs: Burnell, Burgess.