DEV’S BOYS DECLARED SAFE AFTER FIGHTBACK

MAIDENHEAD United will be playing National League football again next season after upsetting Gateshead’s charge for the play-offs with a come-from-behind win at York Road.

Luke Hannant fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute, but United wouldn’t roll over and accept defeat with Kevin Lokko heading the hosts level six minutes from time before the Magpies stole it with a controversial 93rd minute winner by Shawn McCoulsky, who appeared to foul Kenton Richardson before slotting home.

It was a goal that sparked great scenes of jubilation among Maidenhead supporters as they celebrated their club’s survival.

“We make it hard for ourselves,” boss Alan Devonshire said. “We’ve had so many injuries this year, I can’t believe it. But I’m just delighted for those players. They don’t stop, they give me everything and that’s all that I can ask for.”

The first half was a sedate affair, with both teams restricted to half chances. Gateshead had the best of them when Connor McBride’s shot from inside the area in stoppage-time was kept out on the line by his own teammate Marcus Dinanga.

However, Gateshead deservedly took the lead in the 54th minute when a sliding Will De Havilland brought down McBride and Hannant confidently swept the visitors ahead from the penalty spot.

At that stage it looked like all three points would be heading to the north-east and they should have killed the game off when Dinanga was denied by a fantastic save from Craig Ross just after the hour, following an excellent lobbed pass from Callum Whelan.

United’s forwards were largely kept on a tight leash by the Heed defence, however, their best chance came on 51 minutes when Casey Pettit opted for placement rather than power after being played in by Ashley Nathaniel-George.

However, the hosts stuck to their task and gave the game an unexpected late twist. First, in the 84th minute, Pettit swept a free kick over from the right which Alan Massey headed back across goal for Lokko to nod down and into the back of the net.

Then, with the clock having ticked well past 90 minutes, McCoulsky barged Richardson out of the way before calmly taking the ball around keeper Nathan Harness and slotting into the empty net.

Heed boss Rob Elliot added: “I’m disappointed for the lads. We had enough chances to win the game, but we just didn’t take them, or they didn’t fall for us today.

“Their keeper made a couple of brilliant saves.

“We dominated the ball and dominated the play. It was a poor, soft foul which was given for their free kick into the box (for the first goal) and then for the second goal at the end, we feel it was a clear foul on Kenton.” STAR MAN: Craig Ross (Maidenhead) ATT: 1,391 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Ross Martin