Magpies front line is firing once again

Maidenhead United’s front line is firing again, with Josh Kelly and Sam Barratt both on the scoresheet in Saturday’s professional display against Dover Athletic.

Some have questioned how affective United’s frontline could be following the summer departures of last season’s top goalscorer Danilo Orsi-Dadomo and Josh Coley, both to league clubs.

However, United’s frontline sparkled in the first half of Saturday’s 2-0 win, with Nathan Blissett leading the line well to bring both Kelly and Barratt into play. Kelly headed home the hosts’ first in the 13th minute with a well-directed header from Barratt’s cross and was delighted to get off the mark for the season.

“I felt like I needed the first one,” he said afterwards. “When the first one goes in it starts to feel a bit easier.

“I didn’t need to do too much. It was a ball in from Sammy and, from where he crossed it, I only had to get a little touch on it as it was going towards goal anyway.

“It was a good ball from Sammy, and I managed to get a good connection on it. We do work well as a three, but there’s plenty more to work on and hopefully we’ll continue to get goals between the three of us.”

Alongside Kelly and Barratt and club brought in plenty of goalscoring options with the likes of Dylan Asonganyi, Emile Acquah, Kane Ferdinand and Reece Smith all vying for a place in the manager’s starting XI.

The 19-year-old Sam Beckwith has also signed on a season long loan from Luton Town.