Second half collapse after Massey’s sucker punch own goal
Maidenhead United FC
Maidenhead United 0, Hartlepool United 4 Maidenhead United were made to pay for their failure to take a succession of first half chances as they lost 4-0 to Hartlepool United on Saturday. Victory lifts Pools top of the table on goal difference but boss Dave Challinor admitted afterwards they’d been handed a ‘get out of jail free card’ by the Magpies wasteful finishing.
The home side should have been 3-0 up and out of sight before their skipper Alan Massey headed the ball into his own net just before the interval.
Pools then clinically put the game to bed in the first 10 minutes of the second half, Claudio Ofusu slotting the ball past Taye Ashby-Hammond after racing clear on the right side of the Magpies’ defence before Ryan Johnson hammered home a third via the underside of the crossbar to make the game safe. More goals could have followed for the visitors, with Joe Grey nearly waltzing his way through to score a sublime solo goal. Gavan Holohan eventually put the seal on an impressive second half display, firing a deflected shot past the Magpies goalkeeper with six minutes left on the clock.
The result took Hartlepool top and left Maidenhead very much rock bottom, before they secured their first win of the season at the Racecourse Ground on Monday.
Their first half display was promising. Nathan Blissett tested Ben Killip with a fierce low volley in the ninth minute before Danilo Orsi-Dadomo failed to bundle home George Wells’ fine cross from only three yards out five minutes later. OrsiDadomo then wasted his second great chance of the half, pulling his shot wide of the post with only Killip to beat. And, before they could catch their breath, they were behind. A hopeful Pools’ punt into the box skimmed off the head of Massey and beat Ashby-Hammond.
It was a sucker punch for the hosts but worse was to follow. Remy Clerima was caught out of position pushing forward and Ofusu skilfully finished off a quick counter to make it 2-0 in the 49th minute. Johnson’s hammer blow in the 53rd minute left the Magpies reeling and they hardly laid a glove on Pools after that.
Maidenhead United (4-42): Ashby-Hammond 6; Wells 7, Massey 6, Wiltshire 6, Clerima 7 (Twumasi 80’ 6); Donnellan 7, Upward 6 (Coley 85’ 6), Sparkes 7, Smile 6; Blissett 7 (Barratt 75’ 6), Orsi-Dadomo 6. Subs not used: Parry, Comley.