Magpies are up
Maidenhead United FC: United claim deserved home win over
Maidenhead United 2, Eastbourne Borough 1
Maidenhead United showed they were up for the FA Cup on Saturday with a commanding performance against Eastbourne Borough in the competition’s fourth qualifying round.
Goals from defender Will De Havilland and forward Emile Acquah settled this tie at
York Road as Jake Hutchinson’s finish proved to be merely a consolation for the Sports.
For manager Alan Devonshire, it was a ‘job well done’ by his men.
“We’ve got through to the next round quite comfortably today,” he said at full-time.
“It could have been a banana skin for us and there are a few National League South teams that have beaten National League teams this afternoon. I’m pleased with how we’ve done. It was a job well done.”
De Havilland first scored for the Magpies in the 22nd minute, stooping low to nod in Charlee Adams’ cross.
Acquah was also able to find the back of the net with his head, guiding Ashley Nathaniel-George’s precise and pacey delivery past Lee Worgan in the 49th minute.
The contest was made to look more evenly matched than it was when Hutchinson prodded the ball in from a corner in added time.
Magpies boss Devonshire had promised a strong line-up before kick off in a conscious effort to progress into the first round proper.
And that’s what the home support bore witness to, with Sam Barratt taking his place on the wing and getting the fans off their seats in the opening 10 minutes.
Following a corner which came to nothing, the Magpies’ number seven picked up the ball before screwing it just wide of the woodwork. Eastbourne were able to stifle De Havilland in the 14th minute when he looked to get a shot off from inside the box.
With some great trickery, Ashley Nathaniel-George opened up some space for himself to shoot next, the effort from the byline
narrowly off target. Given the chances they had, it came as no surprise to see the Magpies take the lead.
Barratt could have doubled the home side’s advantage immediately after De Havilland’s opener, however, had he put less power on his attempt from the right wing.
De Havilland found himself with the ball once again in a favourable position before the half-hour mark but unfortunately scuffed his shot. The closest chance the visitors registered in the first half came via James Hammond who hooked a shot the wrong side of the near post following Kai Woolard-Innocent’s cross in the 36th minute.
There was no let up in intensity after the interval by the Magpies and, as a reward, they found themselves 2-0 up just four minutes in.
Spectators can argue amongst themselves whether or not the goal was scored by Acquah or Sports defender Bradley Barry but the former certainly deserved it for his work
leading up to this point.
Idris Odutayo was in the right place at the right time to deny Shiloh Remy just moments after and some more good defending by the home side’s backline denied the Sports a tap in before the hour mark.
Barratt and Arthur were guilty of overcomplicating matters in the final third as it looked like the Magpies were going to obtain a third goal in the 71st minute.
Dan Gyollai’s most notable save came in the 75th minute as he got down low to palm Remy’s shot wide. The stopper was called into action again 60 seconds later as the Sports began to ramp up the pressure.
Such momentum by the visitors was well suppressed and well managed by Devonshire, however, as he turned to his bench and made a number of substitutions.
A lapse in concentration can be attributed to the Magpies conceding, with the referee’s whistle bringing the game to an end shortly after.