Maidenhead United looking to bounce back after rollercoaster start to season

Maidenhead United will look to bounce back after two straight league defeats when they host Stockport County at York Road tomorrow night (Tuesday).

It’s been a rollercoaster start to the season for the Magpies who kicked off with victories over Halifax Town and Dover Athletic but have since slipped to consecutive losses against Weymouth (3-1) and Torquay United (4-3).

They might have expected to do better in both, but very nearly completed a remarkable second half turnaround against the Gulls, having trailed 4-0 at the break.

Remy Clerima, Alan Massey and Emile Acquah all found the net as the hosts dragged themselves back into contention. They then laid siege to the Gulls goal, but the visitors clung onto the points when a draw would have been the fairer on the balance of play.

Having flown as high as third after the victory over Dover, the Magpies are now 11th with six points from four matches. But they remain only three points outside of the play-off places with a game in hand on some of the teams above them. Stockport are 16th having won one of their five matches so far.

United drew twice against Stockport last season, playing out a goalless draw at York Road in February before drawing 2-2 in April’s away fixture.

Supporters, who can pre-purchase tickets on the Maidenhead United website, will be hoping for better entertainment under the floodlights tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm kick-off).

The Magpies didn’t have a league fixture scheduled for the weekend but warmed up for this week’s game against Stockport with a behind-closed-doors friendly against a Wycombe Wanderers development side on Thursday.

United won the match 3-2 but it was Wycombe who made the ideal start, as Anis Mehmeti’s free-kick found the back of the net from 25-yards after only two minutes.

The sides traded chances, but it was the Magpies who hit back when Acquah was played in and neatly curled the ball over the onrushing Tyla Dickinson. Reece Smith scored again before the break as the Magpies finished the half strongly.

It took a while for both teams to settle after the interval, with changes made by both managers, but United stretched their lead in the 75th minute when Josh Kelly got on the end of a low cross to fire home from close range.

Wycombe weren’t quite yet done as Connor Parsons headed home James Clark’s cross in the 85th minute but the Magpies held on to win a useful practice match 3-2.