Mens 1st XI beat Wallingford 6 - 2

Posted in Mens 1st XI at 12:11am on 25th Jan 2010
Match Date: 
Saturday, January 23, 2010

Maidenhead 1st XI vs. Wallingford

Maidenhead came back from their winter break with an impressive 6-2 win over mid-table Wallingford. The performance was the perfect start for new coach Tom Butt as the players made sure they continued their fine run of form this season.

Maidenhead quickly took the lead with a short corner goal from Paul Brown. Despite not dispatching the first shot with his usual accuracy the rebound fell to him again at the top of the D and he made no mistake in smashing the ball past the keeper, into the net.

Wallingford offered little in response and their defence was taken apart again within a few minutes. Maidenhead won the ball in midfield and Dan Bradley threw an aerial which both centre backs missed, leaving striker Pat Knight to control it, take it round the keeper and finish into the empty net for his first Maidenhead goal.

Maidenhead’s defence continued to operate effectively and Wallingford put little pressure on the men at the back, allowing captain Carl Ferrand and the other defenders to move the around the Wallingford players.

In previous games this season Maidenhead might have switched off a little in the second half, allowing the other side back into the game, but with an eye on promotion, and first place only 3 points away, this would not be the case in the second half of the season.

Maidenhead pushed on and quickly increased the margin with goals from Scott Craig, who carried the ball past a few defenders and finished clinically. Dan Bradley then grabbed his first of the day with a beautifully struck shot into the top of the net at a tight angle. Robbie Paul showed his instinct for goal as he finished from the top of the D before Dan Bradley rounded off his man of the match display with a driven effort which beat the keeper for pace.

The only disappointment with the performance was allowing Wallingford two goals at the end when the Maidenhead players switched off. However, the victory was already secured and Maidenhead have shown they intended to push Chiswick for the title and keep the pressure on the team at the top.