Maidenhead United frustrated by 10-man Eastbourne Borough in York Road stalemate

Lewis Carey’s eighth minute penalty save from Danny Green ensured that 10-man Eastbourne Borough claimed a deserved point from their trip to Maidenhead United.

United appeared likely to wrap up three points when Borough’s Marvin Hamilton was sent off for hauling down Adrian Clifton in the box, but Green’s lackadaisical penalty was well saved by Carey.

For 10-minutes Eastbourne were all at sea, but United failed to press home their advantage. Attempting to atone for his earlier penalty Green curled a low shot onto the upright from the edge of the area on 12 minutes and Stefan Brown – returning to the side following illness – blasted wastefully over after outmuscling the Borough defence in the 20^th minute.

Eastbourne weathered the storm and came into the game as an attacking force as the match wore on. Richard Pacquette, returning to his old stomping ground, saw his header pushed around the post by Elvijs Putnins in the 41^st minute.

United were poor after the break, and their forward forays were easily curtailed by Borough who restricted them to half-chances. A streaker livened up proceedings for the 755 crowd and there were late chances for both sides. Sam Beale struck the cross bar for Eastbourne from a free kick and Dave Tarpey hit the side netting with Maidenhead’s best chance of the half in injury time.

But Eastbourne fully deserved their point which was celebrated with gusto at the final whistle.

Full time: Maidenhead United 0, Eastbourne Borough 0

Half time: Maidenhead United 0, Eastbourne Borough 0.

Entertainment: 2/5

Star man: Ian Simpemba (Eastbourne Borough).

Referee: Chris O’Donnell

Attendance: 755

Maidenhead United team: Putnins, Longden, Solomon, Nicholls, Nisbet (capt), Downer, Green (Tison-Lascaris, 70), Clifton (Upward, 86), Brown (Adeyinka, 80), Hutchinson, Tarpey. Subs not used: Erskine, Davies.

Eastbourne Borough:  Carey, Hamilton, Beale, Foot, Simpemba (capt), Aldred, McCallum (Lok, 63), Sinclair, Pacquette (Walker, 84), Johnson, Charles. Subs not used: Lovett, Bown.