Further COVID disruption as Stones fixtures are called off
Maidenhead United FC: Magpies forced to wait for first game in 2022 as Wealdstone game is postponed
Another flurry of postponements, this time caused by COVID cases outside of the Magpies camp, means Maidenhead United have played just once in the league since the middle of December.
But, rather than leaving the side cut adrift and struggling for survival, United’s fortunes are starting to look up as they prepare for this Saturday’s trip to Aldershot Town, a ground they haven’t won at since 1997 when both teams were plying their trade in the Isthmian League.
The Magpies had been due to play Wealdstone twice over the festive period, at Grosvenor Vale on Boxing Day and York Road on January 2,
however, both matches were called off due to COVID cases within the Stones squad.
In between these scheduled matches the Magpies did manage a restorative 1-0 victory over promotion challengers Bromley on December 28, a result which lifted the side three points clear of the relegation zone and that’s how things remain, while the side also now has a game in hand on third from bottom Weymouth.
Aldershot have also struggled this season, picking up just 24 points from 22 matches, however, their form has also improved of late with the Shots claiming a late derby win at Woking in
their first game of 2022.
The Magpies are long overdue a positive result at the EBB Stadium. Their last goal there, let alone win, came from Jamie Cook in a 2-1 FA Cup defeat back in October 2004.
Interestingly, the National League’s general manager Mark Ives has also been explaining the league’s postponement procedure to the Southend Echo in light of the recent spate of matches called off due to COVID cases.
“What we will do is get the evidence from the club,” he told the Echo. “I don’t see any personal medical information; it’s verified between the league doctor and the club doctors.
“They liaise on a professional basis to verify the medical situation.
“It will then be relayed to me in terms of numbers that have COVID or are having to isolate because they’ve been in close contact and are unvaccinated or not double jabbed. I will then look at how many players the club has registered and it’s a basic mathematical exercise.
“How many do you have registered, how many COVID, and I emphasise COVID, not injuries, and providing you have more than 14 players available including a goalkeeper then the game goes ahead. We will apply that consistently across the board.”