Devonshire hoping Maidenhead United resurrect their survival hopes over the Easter weekend

Sam Barratt thumped Maidenhead United in front against Halifax. Photo: Darren Woolley

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Maidenhead United have the chance to resurrect their survival hopes over the Easter weekend - where victories over Woking on Good Friday and Wealdstone on Easter Monday would help pull them back from the brink.

Supporters were ready to read the team its last rites after their recent, demoralising, 1-0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge, a result that left the side five points adrift of safety - but of more concern, also in terrible form.

They remain five points from safety heading into this weekend’s double header against the Cards and the Stones, however, they’ve found form and restored some hope with victories over Tamworth at home and FC Halifax Town away - and it could yet be enough to save them from relegation.

Survival remains a tall order, and manager Alan Devonshire acknowledges the team will likely have to win three or even all four of their remaining matches to stay up. However, he’s confident the players have enough about them in terms of quality and character, and he also senses they and the club’s supporters now believe they can stay up.

They’ve also still to play three of their rivals for survival - as well as already relegated Ebbsfleet United - three winnable games on paper if they can continue in the form that’s carried them to their recent victories over the Lambs and The Shaymen.

This Saturday they travelled to The Shay and pulled off one of their most impressive away results of the season, deservedly taking down a Halifax side that are pushing for a play-off finish.

Capitalising on the hosts’ shaky recent form, they dominated the game in terms of chances and managed to put two of them away in the final minutes, with Sam Barratt thumping home a low shot in the 86th minute to make it 1-0 before Shawn McCoulsky lifted a perfectly weighted lob over the keeper to cement the result a couple of minutes later.

The players and fans celebrated together - and they’ll need each other over the coming days if they’re to give this season’s survival bid further momentum.

“Yeah, listen at the end of the day, we’ve got a few boys back now and have had a few good results. But listen, it’s all to play for still,” said Devonshire.

“It was a decent result at Halifax, and it keeps us in the mix and that’s all we can do at the moment.

“We were in total control, I only wish we’d scored a bit earlier so I could relax a bit. But it is what it is. Without a doubt we deserved it, even their manager said we deserved to win so that’s fine.”

Devonshire will have been frustrated that results elsewhere haven’t gone for his team in recent weeks - but he’ll know that to a certain degree the Magpies’ destiny is still in their own hands provided they can win all of their matches.

Woking are the visitors to York Road on Friday, a team who’ve matched the Magpies’ victories over the past two weekends to keep their necks above water.

A trip to Wealdstone follows on Easter Monday, the team currently sat just outside of the relegation zone in 20th - five points above the Magpies. Already relegated Ebbsfleet will welcome United to the Kuflink Stadium on Saturday, April 26 before the final game of the season against Boston United on Monday, May 5.

United will be hoping to take their survival fight to the final day and there’s a growing belief the Magpies can pull off the improbable.

But however things pan out in the coming weeks, Devonshire acknowledges they’ll have a clearer picture of where they stand - for better or worse - on Monday evening.

“It’s just the way it is,” added Devonshire. “We can’t be in control of other teams at the minute, but I just hope at the end of the day we keep doing what we’re doing and if we win all four of our matches, I think we’ll be fine.

“These next two games are going to be massive and probably by the end of the weekend we’ll know more about where we stand.”

He added: “Friday is going to be a tough match. Woking are a good side, to be fair.

“They’ve spent a lot of money to try and stay up. It’s going to be tough. We know how they play and it’s up to us to make sure we work hard.

“Yes, it’s a tall order (to win the last four matches) but at the end of the day, it’s a tall order to stay in this league. There are teams that have gone out of this league with far bigger budgets than us so, I think we need a bit of perspective sometimes. If we’re doing the best we can, that’s all I can ask of the players.

“We’ve done it before so why can’t we do it again? We’re playing four teams that are around us. We’ll focus on Friday and after Friday we’ll know where we stand and then we’ll look at it again. Training has gone well, we’ve had a good couple of weeks, so it’s gone ok. We have a game plan for every game we play.”