Sloppy Town defending as Magpies swoop to victory
get our foot on the gas,” Wild said. “You could see there were new partnerships today and it was needs must, I have to give Jamie (Allen) a break otherwise he might break down again, which would be the worst-case scenario. Martin Woods wasn’t fit to start so I had to dig deep into my squad and go with what I’ve got, so that’s not ideal, but it’s chances for other players to come in and stake a claim. The partnerships didn’t really gel quickly, as they won’t do because they’re new partnerships.
“There’s two mistakes that lead to the first goal, which is disappointing, and frustrating, but from players who’ve been generally excellent for me this season, so I can’t be too harsh on them. I think the goal kicked us into life and we started to play a lot better, got the equaliser and we were on the front-foot.
“Then another mix-up and we get done on a set-piece, which is so frustrating because the first two goals are so avoidable it’s ridiculous. I’ve just said to the players, the heights of how much praise they got at Bromley and Wrexham, and rightly so, for how well they defended, you can’t defend like that and win any football match, and we came crashing back down to earth with how we defended.”
Town were sloppy from the start, with Jack Earing conceding possession cheaply, Niall Maher missing an attempted clearance, then Maher and Neill Byrne getting in each other’s way and presenting a shot on goal from Orsi.
But this time, Halifax didn’t get away with it, as hesitancy saw a seemingly harmless ball forward not dealt with, allowing Danilo Orsi the chance to ghost onto it and sweep a shot past Sam Johnson.
Kieran Green brought Town level with a well-placed header from a free-kick into the box, but after a miscued back pass by Maher handed Maidenhead a corner, Orsi converted when Sam Barratt’s thundering header somehow stayed out.
Town equalised again from a corner of their own through
Tom Bradbury, capping a good spell of pressure.
But there was one more twist in the tale as substitute Josh Coley fired in from close range after Johnson did brilliantly to keep out his initial header.
Halifax: Johnson, Byrne, Maher, Bradbury, King, Tear (Woods 52), Green, Earing, Senior, Mansell (Allen 55), Campbell. Subs not used: Davison-Hale, Benn, Belehouan.
Scorers: Green (39), Bradbury (77)
Shots on target: 4; Shots off target: 9
Corners: 7
Maidenhead: Ashby-Hammond, Wells, Parry, Massey, Sheckleford, Comley (Twimasi 89), Ince, Upward, Sparkes (Coley 69), Orsi (Kelly 83), Barratt. Subs not used: Wiltsire, Smile.
Scorers: Orsi (25, 45), Coley (86)
Shots on target: 4; Shots off target: 2
Corners: 6
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Town man of the match: Kieran Green