Magpies go from Joy to despair
Maidenhead United: Home side’s celebrations are cut short as
Maidenhead United 2, King's Lynn Town 3 Supersub Brett McGavin dampened Maidenhead’s spirits at a rain-lashed York Road with a 92nd-minute winner – just seconds after the Magpies thought they had stolen a point.
Ipswich Town loanee McGavin had only been on the field for nine minutes but provided a timely contribution to end the Linnets’ run of three straight defeats in the National League.
Maidenhead thought they had snatched a draw moments earlier when referee Scott Jackson pointed to the spot and Sam Barratt converted the resulting penalty.
Kane Ferdinand had earlier given the Magpies a fourth-minute lead before two goals in four minutes, at the very start of the second half from Malachi Linton and Ross Barrows, turned the tables.
“I’m gutted,” said Magpies boss Alan Devonshire.
“To get back to 2-2, we’ve got to finish the game off. Our defending was awful – you can’t defend like that and expect a result. It’s Sunday morning football.
“The two goals we let in after half-time were criminal.”
Ferdinand’s header – from Shaun Donnellan’s superb ball into the box – gave the hosts the perfect start and Will De Havilland almost made it two from Barratt’s free kick if it wasn’t for Paul Jones’ quick reflexes.
Devonshire’s men took their foot off the gas as the first half ended with the Linnets earning the lion’s share of possession.
And that momentum continued after the break and just seconds into the restart as substitute Linton kept his cool with a near post finish past a stunned Rhys Lovett.
Then, two minutes later, Barrows beat Lovett to a long ball and composed himself
to slide it under the onrushing Magpies ‘keeper to put his side in front.
Adding injury to insult, Lovett required medical attention upon trying to deny the Linnets’ forward.
The hosts finally found their feet again and went close through Charlee Adams’ low drive.
Ryan Upward and Josh Kelly were replaced by Jack Senga and Nathan Blissett respectively as the Magpies went for broke, and Blissett was unfortunate not to make an immediate impact as his header floated just wide following a corner.
Eventually, their weight in attack broke the visitors’ backline when the referee awarded the hosts a penalty in the 90th minute and up stepped Barratt who squeezed in the spot kick to seemingly secure his side a share of the spoils.
But, with the home fans still celebrating, the Linnets made a beeline straight for goal and McGavin made no mistake with his finish to snatch the victory within the six added minutes.
At full-time, delighted Linnets boss Ian Culverhouse said: “This will do us the world of good.
“We’ve been trying our very best lately and I believe we’ve been competitive in every game. We got our rewards for that today.
“People keep saying that we are not scoring enough goals, but we are creating chances so goals are going to come.
“Stick with them to the end and they will give you that.”
Maidenhead United (4-4-2): Lovett, Beckwith, De Havilland (46’ Parry), Massey, Donnellan, Kelly (63’ Blissett), Upward (63’ Senga), Ferdinand, Adams, Barratt, Acquah. Subs not used: Asonganyi, Smith.
King's Lynn Town (3-5-2): Jones, Fernandes, Callan-McFadden, Bowry, Clunan (81’ McGavin), Coleman, Omotayo, Morias (23’ Linton), Jones, Barrows, Rowley. Subs not used: Gyasi, Sundire, Walker.