Frustrating weekend for Maidenhead United Women's first and development teams

Freya Meadows Tuson. Photo: Darren Woolley

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Maidenhead United Women 0, Cambridge United Women 1

It was a frustrating blank sheet of a weekend for Maidenhead United Women as the First Team and the Development side both suffered home defeats, writes Neil Maskell.

In the FAWNL Plate quarter-final at York Road, the Magpies were unable to find a way past Cambridge United goalkeeper Lauren Webb and they paid the penalty in the second half.

Sarah Thompson saw an opportunity deflected onto the crossbar, Megan Halfacree went close with a free-kick an Trinity Esprit was denied by Webb as Maidenhead had the best of the second half.

The breakthrough came for Cambridge in the 68th minute. Alysha Stojko-Down was brought down in the area by Magpies ‘keeper Rosie Wilmott-Joyce and top-scorer Stojko-Down smashed the penalty kick high and down the middle to beat Wilmott-Joyce and win the game. Maidenhead had plenty of the ball in the final third in that second period but the away side defended well and indeed it was Wilmott-Joyce who had to pull off two good saves in the final stages to keep Maidenhead in the game.

Meanwhile, across town United’s Development team were given a harsh lesson by title-chasing Billericay Town in the FAWNL Reserve League South-East & Central division. Niall Irwin’s young team – established for the first time this season – were well in the game at Cox Green Leisure Centre until a late blast of goals saw United suffer a harsh 6-0 defeat.

With debutants Jasmine King and Kiara Israel impressing, United defended well in the first period and had some good openings of their own before the Essex side struck with an unstoppable effort from range. There was still only one goal in it at the hour mark but Billericay pressure told and the more experienced visitors ran in their final three goals inside the last five minutes as United tired.

Ed Jackson-Norris’s team now face a couple of crucial FAWNL matches as they look to maintain their cherished status in Step 4. United can leap-frog Portishead Town – who they have three games in hand on – with victory in Somerset on Sunday, however the opposition come into the game on the back of an encouraging draw with high-flying Moneyfields last weekend. Maidenhead will then host Bridgwater Town on Sunday 11th February at York Road.