Maidenhead United 4-3 Eastleigh
MAIDENHEAD UNITED 4-3 EASTLEIGH
SATURDAY 28th APRIL 2012
Blue Square Bet South
Match report by Ray Murphy
An afternoon that was full of emotion for an Eastleigh side that on the league front were just playing for pride, though their hosts were heavily embroiled in a Blue Square Bet South encounter with Eastleigh’s Hampshire neighbours Havant & Waterlooville. Before the game kicked off Maidenhead United were favourites to lose their Blue Square Bet place after a five season run in the Division. The mathematics of the afternoon for Maidenhead was easy, a must win and then keep an eye on the Havant & Waterlooville result as a Havant victory against their afternoon opponents Staines Town would condemn Maidenhead to the drop anyway.
Maidenheads recent playing record did little to raise their hope proper to the game having not managed a victory in their last ten league matches, though the last victory was away at league champions Woking. Eastleigh’s last league game of the season would have given them the opportunity with a victory to finish in tenth place in the Division and they kept faith with the same starting eleven that had earned a draw at home to Chelmsford City a week earlier. Jamie Brown was still suspended whilst Damian Scannell and Chris Flood were both injured.
This extraordinary Saturday afternoon was highlighted at the kick off with floodlights having been used at the start of the match on an afternoon that is usually basked in sunshine as the season draws to a close. The home side showed their intent for the afternoon with two early corners causing danger in the Eastleigh defence though no finishing touches were added.
The first real chance of the afternoon fell to the home side on twelve minutes - Andy Forbes’ headed clearance on fell to the edge of the box where John Scarborough shot narrowly wide. Three minutes later the dangerous home striker Alex Wall sent a ball across the face of the box where both Devante McKain and Reece Tison-Lascaris both narrowly failed to apply finishing touches.
Although it was a bright start by Maidenhead, it looked to be a good afternoon in the offering when Tom Jordan’s misplaced pass on seventeen minutes was collected in the middle of his own half by McKain. McKain wasted no time in releasing a pass into the path of striker Tison-Lascaris who rolled the ball into the path of Wall to fire Maidenhead ahead. It appeared to be double joy for the home side with news coming through from Havant & Waterlooville's West Leigh Park that Staines had taken the lead in that fixture too.
Then came a flurry of activity seemingly from both of the fixtures that had a bearing on the outcome of the afternoon. Maidenhead were celebrating Tison-Lascaris self styled volleyed finish after Wall’s free kick had been blocked by the Eastleigh wall on the edge of the area on twenty one minutes unaware that Havant had equalised against Staines; a lead that was only held for sixty seconds as Staines Town restored their advantage making Maidenhead certain favourites of avoiding the nightmare of relegation.
The afternoon was not improving for Eastleigh though. Daniel Brown had a low shot saved by Jack Dovey though the Eastleigh goalkeeper was in trouble a few minutes later following a challenge on Wall, which saw Dovey have to give way through injury on thirty-one minutes. This Eastleigh set back was increased six minutes later when skipper Tom Jordan limped away from the action with a knee injury.
Eastleigh’s first attempt on goal did not arrive until thirty-eight minutes when Daryl McMahon’s long-range effort bounced awkwardly in front of Maidenheads ex-Eastleigh goalkeeper Billy Lumley who managed to claw the ball away for a corner. McMahon took the left wing corner, which was palmed away by Lumley falling for the acrobatic Gary Elphick to send his overhead kick just wide.
The afternoon was just about to open another chapter of drama. Forty-one minutes and Eastleigh reduced their arrears. Bradley Bubb laid the ball off for Lee Peacock who curled a left foot twenty-five yard drive beyond the reach of Lumley into the net, which was quickly followed by news from West Leigh Park that Havant & Waterlooville had netted a second equaliser against Staines Town.
Andy Forbes almost snatched an equaliser for Eastleigh two minutes later as his scissor kick was blocked by McKain but the half ended with no addition to the scoreline at either York Road, Maidenhead or West Leigh Park.
aidenhead almost restored their two goal advantage on fifty-seven minutes maintaining his run to remain onside, Tison-Lascaris sprinted through on goal, took the ball round the advancing Gareth Barfoot then rolled his shot against the post, the ball falling for Wall who blazed his shot over the bar. How important was that miss going to be, that was almost answered within eight minutes as the whole afternoon took another major twist.
On sixty-one minutes Mitchell Nelson's ball into the six-yard box saw substitute Sam Wilson react quickest and turn home his first goal at Blue Square Bet South level. 2-2 the scoreline at both Maidenhead and Havant, which meant at this stage Maidenhead were back in the relegation zone.
Three minutes later Tison-Lascaris saw a shot saved by Barfoot whilst on sixty-five minutes Eastleigh were ahead, McMahon’s cross diverted home by the head of Nelson. Now this goal really did cause confusion as a third side now was brought into the relegation scrap. With this goal from Nelson, Maidenhead would have been relegated whilst if Havant did concede a goal and lose at home to Staines, Hampton & Richmond Borough who were away at Thurrock were in front and would have leapfrogged both Maidenhead and Havant to keep themselves secure.
The way the whole afternoon was developing though you knew this was not the end of the struggle by a long way. On sixty-eight minutes and another lifeline for Maidenhead. Wall saw a shot blocked, Tison-Lascaris picking up the loose ball and slotting past Barfoot 3-3. Still all square at Havant too, the heroics of Hampton & Richmond again fruitful.
This match now had all the ingredients for a frantic finale and it did not disappoint. Both sides were all out to find a goal and a final three points of the season. Bubb set up a chance for Wilson but his first touch let his chance of a second afternoon goal disappear on sixty-nine minutes. A minute later Michael Green’s cross saw Scott Rogers turn just wide of the upright.
Play switched to the other end, Wall saw another shot blocked by the Eastleigh defence and Martel Powell fired the rebound over the bar. On seventy four minutes Maidenhead substitute Charlie Strutton was wheeling away to celebrate after seeing his low drive beat the diving Barfoot but looked back in despair as he saw his effort crash against the post.
So much for a tame end of season finish. Strutton was through on goal again on seventy-nine minutes but Barfoot this time saved his effort. The game was reaching stoppage time in both this match and the Havant fixture and all square in both. Havant were safe and Maidenhead were relegated if this was how it was to finish. Lumley came from his goal to join any Maidenhead attack possible to secure the three points then with three minutes remaining Bobby Behzadi was presented with a chance in the six-yard area but the defender was denied by Barfoot. Chance missed yes but still time.
Strutton saw a shot again saved by Barfoot as the game entered any stoppage time that was to be added on by Plymouth referee Adam Bromley. There was ninety three minutes on the clock when Behzadi miscued shot fell invitingly for Paul Semakula to drill home a drive that was to prove to be the match winner and scenes of jubilation from the Maidenhead fans behind the Eastleigh goal to celebrate their sides not only victory but thought of escaping relegation.
But unbeknown to Maidenhead fans as at the same time as they were celebrating Semakula as their salvation hero, down at West Leigh Park they had their own hero in centre back Joe Dolan who netted a stoppage time winner for Havant & Waterlooville to send Maidenhead United back into the relegation area and save themselves and so retain another Hampshire derby for Eastleigh for next season.
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