Maidenhead men’s first team got back to winning ways last Saturday, as Flynn Harmen’s hat-trick guided them to a hard fought 3-2 victory away at local rivals Marlow.

In a cagey first half with very few chances for either side, the home team found themselves a goal to the good at the break; Maidenhead failed to clear following a penalty corner, and the ball fell kindly for a Marlow striker to knock home.

The game really came to life in the second half, however. In the first few minutes, Maidenhead were caught high in the press, but Marlow were unable to take advantage on the counter-attack, with Maidenhead goalkeeper Karl Hoddell making the one-on-one save.

This served as a wake-up call for the visitors, though, and excellent pressure from forwards Alex Johnson and Jake Maury led to their first penalty corner of the match a few minutes later, from which midfielder Harmen rifled the ball into the top corner, leaving the Marlow goalkeeper with no chance.

With a lot of play in the middle third of the pitch, the game seemed to be heading for a draw until an action-packed final ten minutes saw three more goals.

Marlow took the lead for a second time, beating Maidenhead’s man marking for a well-executed deflection from close range.

Maidenhead threw more and more men forward in the hope of an equalizing goal, and their endeavor was rewarded when the umpires awarded another penalty corner for a stick tackle. This time, Harmen’s low shot on goal ricocheted up off a Marlow stick into the roof of the net.

But Maidenhead were not done there. With mere seconds left on the clock, Harmen ensured his side would leave with all three points, and he would leave with the match ball, sending his drag flick past the helpless Marlow penalty corner defence for a sublime hat-trick.

Maidenhead will look to secure back-to-back wins as they host Reading on Saturday.