KELLY’S GOT THE EYE FOR A MAGPIES’ MASTERPIECE

JOSH Kelly scored a wonderful individual goal to put the seal on a win which mathematically ensures Maidenhead United’s survival while, at the same time, lands a body-blow to Weymouth’s hopes of staying up.

The result was rarely in doubt from the moment Shaun Donnellan rose highest to glance home Kane Ferdinand’s 55th-minute corner and the seal was rubber-stamped by United’s top scorer in the first minute of stoppage time, Kelly impudently pushing the ball past his marker before firing high beyond Ross Fitzsimons.

The result lifts the Magpies 16 points clear of the bottom three with five matches left to play, while the Terras are 14 points adrift of safety with seven to go.

Magpies boss Alan Devonshire said: “It’s nice to get safety mathematically assured. There were lots of good performances and I thought we looked quite comfortable.”

United’s on-loan keeper Nathan Ashmore was rarely called into action, but he pulled off one spectacular save late on to tip over Haji Mnoga’s rising drive when the score was 1-0.

Shawn McCoulsky had the best of Maidenhead’s first-half chances, hooking over Sam Barratt’s low corner in the 14th minute and failing to turn home Ryheem Sheckleford’s low cross moments later.

The Terras did have the ball in the net just after the half-hour, but theassistant referee’s flag came to the Magpies’ rescue as Matt

Buse deflected the ball past a helpless Ashmore.

Josh Smile, a half-time substitute for Sam Barratt, brought renewed impetus to the home side’s play and helped create a couple of half chances for McCoulsky, one of which he clattered onto the outside of the post.

Then, on 55 minutes, Donnellan got in front of his man to head home Ferdinand’s corner, the ball bouncing in off the far post.

The visitors began to create the odd chance of their own in the final stages. Sean Shields drifted a cross just wide of the far post before Ashmore pulled off an instinctive save to deny Mnoga with five minutes left.

But United saved the best for last. With Weymouth pressing frantically, the ball was helped forward to Kelly just inside the Terras’ half. He pushed the ball past Tyler Cordner and raced through on goal before firing high past Fitzsimons.

Terras boss David Oldfield added: “We didn’t manage to really lay a glove on the opposition. We must lick our wounds and pick ourselves up because we have a big game on Monday [at home to Yeovil]. This is a collective effort, and collectively we are not doing enough. That’s me included as well. We need to take full responsibility. There are no excuses from us.” ★★★★★