Survival remains Number one goal
Maidenhead United FC: Peters says Magpies will look to get to 50
The mindset of the Maidenhead United players may be different this season, but assistant manager Ryan Peters is keen for them all to be very clear that the first goal for the club remains survival.
United are flourishing this season and Saturday’s 3-2 victory away to Halifax Town lifted them back above the hosts to sixth in the table. It took them onto 30 points, just three behind second placed Hartlepool United with three matches in hand.
There remains some uncertainty over whether the season will continue, with National League clubs asked to vote this week on whether to scrap the season or continuing playing behind closed doors with loans rather than grant aid for support. But should the campaign go on, and there are positive signs that most clubs at step 1 do want to carry on, it could be one in which Maidenhead defy all expectations.
The players will surely be thinking this way, after victories over Yeovil Town and Halifax Town in the space of a few days, however, Peters is keen for them to stay grounded and not to lose their heads during what’s likely to be a defining few weeks of the campaign. Last season the club’s season fell apart in spectacular fashion after they’d made a positive start, and the Magpies looked in dire straights when the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. They were saved by virtue of a points-pergame calculation which sent down Ebbsfleet United, who were just above them in the table at the time.
“We’ve forgotten about the games that have taken place already,” said Peters. “We’re just looking at this next period and if we can come through that period relatively unscathed, both in terms of the number of points we pick up and in terms of injuries, you would hope that we would be able to get to the 50-point mark as soon as possible.
“We’re not looking at anything else at this stage, and the quicker we can do that the quicker we can re-evaluate.
“We must make sure everyone in the camp is thinking of one thing only, and that’s getting to 50 points.”
Despite this Peters and manager Alan Devonshire are not trying to limit the players’ ambitions or consolidating what they’ve achieved so far. They simply have flexible targets in place which will be changed as soon as they’re met. Peters is hopeful they can get to the 50-point mark in the coming weeks and has praised the recruitment made by the club in a tight close season. He said the players brought in have elevated performances. They’re also likely to elevate their position in the table as well.
“We hope we can do more,” said Peters. “We evaluated off the back of last season. We made some tough decisions, and the gaffer and Lee (Devonshire, chief scout) went out and brought in the players we needed.
“So far, every single player, alongside the players we already had, have just pushed us on and elevated our performances. Long may that continue.
“All the gaffer wanted was a fit and healthy group of players to pick from and it’s getting to the stage now where it’s causing him a headache, a good headache of course.
It’s up to the gaffer to make those tough decisions about who to leave out of the squad and who’s going to be on the bench.
“If anyone was to watch us at the moment, they’d see we are pretty good on the eye going forward. Before we went into that four-week break we were keeping goals to a minimum but the last few games we’ve given teams a few more opportunities than we’d have liked and we’ve got to get back to being nice and compact, so we only have to score one goal, rather than two or three.”
Tuesday’s trip to Wealdstone was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, which means the Magpies will go in search of a third straight league win at home to Boreham Wood on Saturday.
“We’re not taking anyone lightly,” said Peters. “Boreham Wood are going really well in the league. We don’t go into a game thinking we’re definitely going to take all three points, but we definitely go into every game hoping we can. We’re in good form and we want to keep pushing on while we can, but every game will be tough.”