Magpies progress after battling past Taunton Town in FA Cup

Tobi Sho-Silva celebrates his opener. Photo: Maidenhead United FC (Neil Maskell)

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Maidenhead United 3, Taunton Town 0

Maidenhead United are through to the first round of the FA Cup where they'll take on League 1 side Crawley Town at York Road early next month, but they had a real struggle to see off step three side Taunton Town over two matches in the final qualifying round.

Having been held to a 1-1 draw at the Cygnet Health Care Stadium on Saturday, the Magpies were favourites to progress in last night's replay based on home advantage and their higher league status.

But Taunton are also a good side and this was their first loss in 11 matches. It was also a scoreline that flattered the home side.

After a dominant opening and well taken fourth minute strike from the recalled Tobi Sho-Silva, Taunton dragged themselves back into the tie and had Maidenhead on the ropes for much of the second period before stoppage time goals from substitutes Ruben Carvalho and Sam Barratt finally killed off their spirit.

In fairness to Maidenhead, they probably should have put the tie to bed long before Taunton managed to muster their spirited fightback.

The home side were so much on top in the first 25 minutes.

The game was only four minutes old when Thierry Latty-Fairweather played a slide-rule pass for the advancing Sho-Silva who took a touch before sweeping the ball past Adam Parkes' left-footed.

It took just 4⃣ minutes for @TobiSho_ to open the scoring in last night's @EmiratesFACup replay at York Road pic.twitter.com/FfPaWPZ3AL

— Maidenhead United (@MUFCYorkRoad) October 16, 2024

United then looked to build on their advantage and a second goal might well have made for a much more comfortable evening against the step 3 visitors. Sho-Silva went close again with a firm header in the 15th minute that was hacked off the goal line, while the lively Smith sent a searching low ball across the face of the six-yard area that was just begging to be touched home.

Then came the moment which - ironically - swung the game back in Taunton's favour. In the 18th minute, Will De Havilland had his legs taken from him as he attempted to check back inside, and the referee rightly pointed to the penalty spot. Having recently scored from the spot in the league win over Ebbsfleet, Shawn McCoulsky confidently picked up the ball and put it on the spot.

This time, however, Parkes guessed right and palmed away his well-struck effort and a game that looked to be headed firmly in Maidenhead's direction was now back in the balance.

More than that, the visitors were lifted by the reprieve and went close to a leveller before the interval when their captain Tom Smith curled a beautiful free kick just the wrong side of Craig Ross's post. Many inside the ground thought it was in as it nestled just the wrong side of the stanchion.

The game was starting to follow a similar pattern to the one in Somerset, with the Peacocks gradually growing in confidence, and Maidenhead allowing them to do that.

A nasty clash of heads resulted in Jayden Mitchell-Lawson being forced from the field and he was replaced by Sam Barratt - but for a period, the Magpies lost one of their most productive outlets down the right.

Taunton's Smith had another free kick attempt which Ross saved well on the ground, while Archie Ferris came mightily close to connecting with a cross from Eddie Jones as the visitors continued to grow in confidence.

The Peacocks then rolled the dice, making four substitutions on the hour mark - with Saturday's goal scorer David Duru one of those entering the fray.

The changes unsettled Maidenhead and Taunton very nearly capitalised immediately when the ball was cut back for an unmarked Smith to blaze over the bar in the 62nd minute.

It was a great chance to make it 1-1 and the opportunities continued to fall to the mullet-haired Peacock's captain.

In the 69th minute, the visitors produced the move of the game as Smith exchanged passes with Duru and weaved his way into the box before firing low at goal. The ball seemed destined for the bottom corner but - just as he'd done on Saturday - Ross pulled off a magnificent save to keep the Magpies in front.

Taunton then forced a series of corners as they continued to pile on the pressure, but Maidenhead's defence held firm against what was becoming an onslaught, and the Southern League Premier South outfit finally began to lose some faith.

Looking to reach the first round for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons, Maidenhead had the better of the final 10 minutes. Reece Smith came close after a darting run into the area - having seen his own substitution for Tariq Uwakwe cancelled.

McCoulsky almost made amends for his penalty miss with a thumping shot that cannoned off the post.

Then, in the second of eight additional minutes, they finally killed off Taunton's hopes when Smith escaped down the right and put in a low cross that substitute Carvalho slotted home.

.@Rubinho10__ scored his first of the season to double our lead in last night's @EmiratesFACup replay

@fc_video pic.twitter.com/hXqGLmeWxa

— Maidenhead United (@MUFCYorkRoad) October 16, 2024

Sixty seconds later and another of the second half substitutes, Barrratt stuck in the knife and twisted it, when his deflected shot squirmed past Parkes for a third Maidenhead goal.

Taunton deserve huge credit for how well they played, but Maidenhead advance to a home tie with Crawley at York Road to be played between November 1-4.

Before that they have two home games against Hartlepool United on Saturday and Oldham Athletic on Tuesday to focus on - as well as a trip to Yeovil Town on October 26 - as they look to maintain their improved league form.