Acquah changes narrative with his dynamic displays
The perception of Emile Acquah among Maidenhead United fans is changing, and changing fast, after his dynamic performance and goal in Saturday's 2-1 win over Eastleigh.
It's fair to say Acquah struggled to impose himself on opposition defences last season, in and out of the side, he struggled to give the side the cutting edge they needed in many of their matches.
But on Saturday, and in many of his games this season. he's been a bullying presence, tussling with defenders and enjoying the experience of fighting tooth and nail for the club.
He also took his goal superbly on Saturday, allowing Alan Massey's header to drop over his shoulder before turning and poking it on the volley beyond Joe McDonnell. Then in the second half, he kept the Spitfires defence occupied to enable Reece Smith to ghost in and score Maidenhead's second goal from Cole Kpekawa's cross.
Throughout the game he led the line well, defending from the front and leading by example, helping to shut off the route through to goal for a lively Eastleigh side, who'd got back into the game through Charlie Carter's thumping near post finish.
Reflecting on the game, and his own improved performances this season, Acquah said: “Yeah, I’m really happy with our display and it’s good to get a goal,” he said afterwards. “We dug in against a good team and got a good three points. I’ve got more used to my role this season, playing more often. I’m still young and still learning, but I feel I’m handling it well. For my goal, I just had to keep my eye on the ball, make sure I was onside and then make sure I got a good contact on it. Once I got the touch, I knew that it was going in.
“We deserved to win. Towards the end it got a little bit shaky, but we hung on and it was a deserved three points.”
In the early weeks of the season, Maidenhead lacked a cutting edge in attack, but Acquah is providing that now, with the blend of the side having improved following the integration of Charlee Adams and now Smith into the side. They're difficult to beat, but now have the guile needed to break opponents down and as such can look forward to the Christmas period and second half of the season with some optimism.
Despite this, Massey says they'll need to continue doing the basics right, and improve in both boxes, if they're to maintain their challenge for a top half finish.
“We had a good shape today and the boys in front of the back four worked their socks off, closing players down, shutting spaces off and we managed to hold on,” he said.
“There are still things we need to work on, but we’ve given ourselves a base now. The way everyone is working off the ball and if we can get a little bit more quality, at both ends of the pitch, we’ll keep picking up results.”
Massey was also fairly modest about his match-saving goal line clearance in stoppage time.
“It’s just one of those when you’re in the right place at the right time. I was there and I could make it, but it wasn’t as incredible as you think it was. Luckily, it fell to me rather than their forward. When you’re clinging on in the final minutes, it could have fallen for them, but luckily it fell to me.”
“The boys should be full of it, we’re doing well. We’re staying in every game and there haven’t been many games that we’ve been out of. If we can keep staying in games, we know we will get goals. We just need to keep doing the basics well and we can push on.”
The Magpies visit 20th placed Maidstone United next Saturday, looking to make up even more ground on the sides above them.