Hippolyte’s Magpies scrub up well in Bath

In the run up to Maidenhead United's 150th anniversary next month, the club's fixtures secretary Neil Maskell will be dipping into the archives on a weekly basis to shine a light on a key moment or match in the club's history.

Johnson Hippolyte’s Magpies were to continue their revival when they travelled to the West Country to face University side Team Bath in the Southern League Premier Division, fourteen years ago tomorrow (Jan 29).

It had been a topsyturvy season for Maidenhead thus far and there was more drama to come. Drax had taken the reins following the sacking of Carl Taylor in the autumn. There was briefly a ‘new-manager bounce’ as Hippolyte’s new team embarked on a memorable best FA Cup run in thirty-five years but a run of just two wins in eleven league matches had alarm bells ringing at the prospect of backto-back relegations.

Two defeats in four days at the hands of lowly Corby Town was to prove the nadir and a third straight victory came at the expense of the high-flying students on a night when Drax’s side had to soak up plenty of home pressure. The injury-hit visitors named their manager amongst their substitutes and had ‘keeper Chico Ramos to thank for keeping them on level-terms at the break.

The deadlock was broken just after the hour when Yashwa Romeo headed home from a Dean Fenton cross and a useful three points was sewn up in the dying stages when Fenton provided the pass for Ashley Smith to curl home a rightfooted effort.

The gaffer was delighted with his side: “We rode our luck in the first half, although we created two really good chances ourselves. We changed it around at half time and dominated after that”. By now on a roll, the Magpies would lose just four of their final eighteen league matches and were ultimately successful in the play-offs.

MAGPIES: Ramos, Nisbet (Sub Driver 86’), Parsons, Bunce, Sterling, Osman, Sterling, Darti Brown, Roach (Sub Newman 61’), Romeo, Smith.

Subs not used: Hippolyte, Dereck Brown, Hughes.