United to travel to league rivals Halifax in first round
Maidenhead United will travel to league rivals FC Halifax Town in the first round of the FA Cup next month, after the Shayman overcame Pontefract Collieries 1-0 in Tuesday evening’s replay.
The Magpies had already put their name in the hat for the first round proper, with Saturday’s convincing 3-1 victory of Isthmian League South East side Hastings United, and they’ll have to beat their in-form league rivals away from home if they’re to progress to the second round for the first time since the 1886-87 season.
In the year Karl Benz applied for a patent to build the first automobile Maidenhead defeated South Reading 2-0 to ease through to the second round before a 3-2 loss at home to Dulwich sent them out of the competition – 135 years later and the club are still waiting to get back there again.
The Magpies played well on Saturday to seal their first win in nine matches. Sam Barratt thumped them in front before Kane Ferdinand continued his scoring form, hooking home after Josh Kelly frightened the life out of the Hastings’ defence with his direct running. The visitors replied before the break but Nathan Blissett scored an important goal for him, and the club, to ensure Maidenhead’s name would be in the hat for Sunday’s draw.
Manager Alan Devonshire hoped for a home tie against a league club, but instead his side have been pitted away from home to FC Halifax Town, with the game to be
played over the weekend of November 5-8.
Halifax needed two bites of the cherry to get past Pontefract Collieries of the Northern Premier League Division 1 East this week. They were held to a goalless draw away from home on Saturday and needed a second half strike from Jack Vale to win the right to face the Magpies.
United have already got the better of the Shayman this season, when Ferdinand curled home a late winner for a 2-1 league win on the opening day of the season.
However, Halifax have since won seven of their next 10 matches to move third in the table.
Winning clubs will receive £22,629 from the competition's prize fund.