Misfiring United
Maidenhead United FC: Magpies struggle to overcome first half
Maidenhead United 0, Gateshead 1
For a sixth time this season, Maidenhead United failed to find the back of the net as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Gateshead.
Dan Ward pounced in the 21st minute, sweeping home Paul Blackett’s low cross and Mike Williamson’s side deservedly held on for only their second league win of the campaign.
The result was good enough to lift them above the Magpies to 17th in the table, with both sides now on 10 points from 10 games.
United came into the game off the back of a hard-earned 1-0 win over Woking, but if that performance had been encouraging, this was anything but.
They started brightly enough, and fashioned some early chances, with Koby Arthur blazing over the bar after wriggling past a couple of challenges, and Reece Smith firing tamely at Dan Langley after collecting Emile
Acquah’s flick on. But, in their eagerness to get forward and capitalise on their early dominance, they left themselves open at the back and the visitors took the lead in the
21st minute.
There may have been a suggestion of offside as Blackett latched onto a simple ball over the top, but the linesman kept his flag down and Ward clinically swept home his low cross to score his first of the season.
The Heed grew in confidence off the back of that strike, and Maidenhead’s defence could never rest easy with Adam Campbell and Blackett hassling and harrying them throughout. Having fallen behind it took the hosts time to re-find their feet; however, they went close again on the half-hour mark when Cole Kpekawa swept in a left-wing cross that Smith side-footed wide at the far post. United have been struggling to create chances and score goals all season and that
was evident again in a frustrating second half display. Smith had another decent chance when he collected Acquah’s low cross in the 56th minute but his effort was deflected narrowly wide.
Shawn McCoulsky also forced a couple of half-chances after coming on to replace Arthur, but two world class first touches – to control the ball and bring it out of the air – deserved better finishes.
With ex-Newcastle United player Campbell pulling the strings for Gateshead in midfield, they looked increasingly assured and should have wrapped up the points in the closing stages.
First, Blackett escaped the attentions of Massey again, but his close-range shot was saved by Dan Gyollai in the 78th minute. Then, a couple of minutes later, captain
Greg Olley steered a low shot onto the foot of the post and the Magpies escaped.
United pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but their forward players looked increasingly panicked and their final ball was too often wasteful. In the 86th minute McCoulsky passed up the chance to bring the hosts level, blazing over the bar after rolling his man well in the box. It was the Magpies’ last chance of note, and Gateshead’s defence, who’d been pretty much first to every ball in the second half, held on for a deserved victory.
Gateshead manager, Mike Williamson, said: “It was a really spirited performance, there was a lot of character and desire, players putting their bodies on the line. It was one of those performances which is pleasing. We’ve just got honest lads who want to work hard, but we need to continue working on the detail and that comes from coaching. But it’s a pleasing win and our first clean sheet.”