Dowse frustrated by drought
WOKING’S goal drought stretched to four league games after a stalemate between the Cards and the Magpies at the Laithwaite.
In a game of few chances, it was both defences that dominated proceedings.
And Woking boss Alan Dowson felt his side just didn’t show the cutting edge required.
Cards gaffer Dowson said: “I thought we had the best chance with Dempsey going through and should have done better. Maidenhead are always a hard side to play against. I encouraged them [Woking players] to continue what they did against Bromley, but I didn’t think we did that very well. I don’t think we showed any aggression to score a goal.
“If you encourage your team to play and attack you need to get some goals from somewhere. It is a tough league where even off free kicks and corners you have to go and attack them, and we haven’t got that.”
After a slow and scrappy start from both sides, it was the hosts who carved out the first chance of the game when a chip from Jonny Goddard found Slavi Spasov inside the area, but his glancing header dropped wide.
The 19-year-old Bulgarian youngster was involved in the action once again when he cut inside the area but dragged his effort wide of the post when a little bit more composure was called for.
The Magpies- who haven’t played any competitive football since Boxing Day- created their first serious chance of the match when leading scorer Sam Barratt volleyed over at the far post after being put under pressure by Cards skipper Josh Casey, for the last action of a poor opening first half.
The hosts were on the front foot at the start of the second half with a set piece setting up Ben Gerring on his first league appearance of the season, but the centre half’s downward header fell safely into the hands of Taye Ashby-Hammond.
A mistake from the visitors let in Ben Dempsey one on one with the Magpies keeper, with Hammond smothering his shot.
Dowson threw on Bermudian international Jonte Smith into the fray after 65 minutes. Smith was signed on Friday after being released last season by football league side Cheltenham Town, having had previous spells at Oxford United and Non-League Lewes.
With ten minutes to go both managers rung the changes to try and get the winner. The best chance in the final spell fell to the Magpies and Nathan Blissett, but his header fell wide off the target.
Despite two late corners for the hosts, the game petered out into a goalless draw with no sides creating enough chances to win the game.
Maidenhead United assistant Ryan Peters said: “It was a really good performance bearing in mind we haven’t played for a month.”
STAR MAN: Manny Parry
(Maidenhead United)
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