| Magpies take the Road to Nowhere (26.01.08) |
|
MAIDENHEAD UNITED 0 |
BRAINTREE TOWN 1 (0) |
|
Maidenhead's impromptu road trip came to
naught, the Magpies dismal home record continuing with visitors
Braintree making a smash and grab raid at York Road on Saturday. As
well as the unusual goings on off the pitch, manager Johnson
Hippolyte rang the changes on it by fielding an attacking 3-4-3
formation. Maidenhead dominated the game but lacked the creative inspiration to unlock the Braintree defence. United threatened most from set pieces, Iron goalkeeper Nicky Morgan first being called into serious action in the twelfth minute when an Ashley Smith free kick being flicked on by the head of Jefferson Louis to new signing John Hastings whose effort was tipped onto the bar and over to safety by Morgan. Maidenhead pressed hard throughout the half from an opening and although a couple of half chances fell to Manny Williams, he was not able to hit the target. In reply Braintree barely threatened, possessing perhaps the slightest front man in the division in ex Magpie Rob Martin. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, Maidenhead getting a little closer to scoring without breaking the deadlock. In the 63rd minute a superb pass from Wes Daly put Williams through only for his shot to be deflected wide. Five minutes later a Louis shot was palmed round the post by Morgan. With twenty minutes remaining the inevitable happened when Braintree created a chance out of nothing, Lee Burns latching onto a through ball to run clear, making no mistake with his finish to put the Iron in front. United continued to push for an equaliser but their day was summed up in the 78th minute when a powerful Smith run down the left ended with a shot that was spilled by Morgan only for Mark Jones to beat Williams to the loose ball and clear. The game ended on a sour note when Jack Bradshaw was crudely scythed down by Eugene Ofori, resulting in the young defender being stretchered off and the Magpies' frustration being compounded when Ofori was let off with a yellow card. |
|
|
Magpies: Wells, Bradshaw (84 Makofo), Sterling,
Daly, Nisbet, Kersey, Smith, Brown Da, Williams, Hastings (64
James), Louis. Unused subs: Clarke, Cooper, Ramos. Irons: Morgan, Burgess, Jones, Edwards, Cousins, Porter, Martin (72 Quinton), Shinn, Baker (76 Ofori), Deane, Burns. Unused subs: Boot, Hawes, Cross. Goal: Burns 70. Crowd: 312. Cautions: Martin 37, Shinn 66, Ofori 82. |