Hat-trick hero helps Magpies hit Wealdstone for six
United hindered by ‘stop-start’ campaign but are now ‘back in the swing of things’
Whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign, it will have been a successful season for Maidenhead United, one which has the potential to break all kinds of records for the club.
Their highest ever points tally and placing in the league are both possible and despite their recent blip, which saw the team go five matches without a win, they are still in with an outside shot of finishing in the play-offs.
The Magpies were in record breaking mood on Tuesday night as they put six goals past Wealdstone without reply at Grosvenor Vale.
Danilo Orsi-Dadomo helped himself to a seven-minute second half hat-trick and Sam Barratt and Dan Sparkes were also on target in the Magpies most comprehensive away win since December 29, 2012 when they also scored six goals at Staines Town. A certain Harry Pritchard was on the scoresheet for the Magpies that day.
But despite this it’s also been a frustrating campaign for manager Alan Devonshire, who feels the side would have been right in the frame for a top seven spot had they not been hindered by several damaging periods of inactivity.
After these spells on the sideline it’s taken the team a couple of matches to get back into their stride and these blips have seen their hopes of challenging the league’s big boys knocked back a little.
Having said that this week’s impressive displays at Stockport County (2-2) and Wealdstone (6-0) show the Magpies are still fighting and haven’t yet given up on finishing in the playoffs.
“We’ve been more stop-start and have had more breaks than anyone else in the league,” said Devonshire.
“We’ve had a four-week break, a twoweek break and then another twoweek break and it’s taken us a couple of games to get back into the swing of things.
“Hopefully we’re back in the swing of things now with some big games coming up.”
The Magpies have also had rough luck with injuries. George Wells was the latest player to limp off in Tuesday’s win over Wealdstone and it’s likely that Nathan Blissett will miss the rest of the season after suffering a hairline fracture in his ankle during the latter stages of the recent goalless draw with Barnet. However, Barratt and Sparkes are rediscovering their early season form and, with players still to return from injury and suspension, things are looking up for the final few weeks of the season.
“Him (Sparkes) and Sam have both been coming back from injury and it takes a while to get back into the swing of things from their perspective,” he added. “It’s good that they’re fit and hopefully that will stay the same until the end of the season.
“Bliss (Nathan Blissett) has fractured his ankle and is out for the season, but we’ve got some attacking options. Josh Kelly is on his way back now and looks like his old self again after an injury-hit season for him. We’ve also got Josh Coley to come back after his suspension.
“If we can keep these boys fit until everyone is back we’ll be in a decent position to change it around and rest people when we need to.
Tuesday’s convincing win lifted them from 16th to 13th in the table, and to within eight points of the top seven.
They also have at least a couple of matches in hand on most of the sides above them so, while it remains unlikely, it’s not impossible they could reach the play-offs with 11 matches still to be played. They also have a couple of very winnable home matches to play this week against 19th placed Woking on Saturday afternoon and 20th placed Weymouth on Tuesday night. Not that Devonshire’s taking either game for granted.
“We’ve got some hard games coming up,” said Devonshire. “We’ve got Woking, Weymouth, Kings Lynn then we’ve got Wrexham, Notts County, we’ve got big games.
“Woking are big and they’re strong. They’ve got three centre halves who are over six-foot tall so they’re going to be dangerous from set pieces.
“It’ll be a different game to the one we had last night that’s for sure. We’ve got to be aware of their strengths but also work on their weaknesses.
“It’s always a tough game against Woking and I’m sure that will be the same on Saturday.”