Maidenhead United Women return from Portishead with valuable point after stalemate

Freya Meadows-Tuson. Photo: Neil Maskell/MUFC

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Maidenhead United Women may be going through a rare dry-spell in front of goal but they returned from Somerset last Sunday afternoon with another valuable point after a goalless draw with Portishead Town, writes Neil Maskell.

The Magpies are looking to extend their stay in the FAWNL Division 1 South West (Tier four of women’s football in England) into an 11th successive season, and this point will boost their hopes of doing that.

That would be an achievement in itself for a club of Maidenhead’s size, competing against teams with playing budgets that United manager Ed Jackson-Norris can only dream of.

The match at Bristol Road was a slow-burner, and with Maidenhead frustrated by the weather the previous weekend when they saw their match at Bournemouth Sports postponed for a second time, United showed some understandable rustiness after a fortnight of inaction. The first thirty minutes of this game were largely dominated by a home side sitting second bottom of the table. Maidenhead however had the best two chances in the first 45 minutes; Freya Meadows-Tuson – voted ‘opposition player of the match’ by the home club – arrived late at a corner and could only bundle the loose ball at the top before Isacc Gregory screwed an opening wide after good work resulted in a cut back by Nat Cowell.

For the home side, Imogen Jones and Mia Blazey both tested United ‘keeper Kenny Clarke, Portishead captain Shannon Holloway save a firm angled drive well handled by Clarke and Kelly Jones might have given the hosts the lead when she glanced a header wide following a corner. Manager Jackson-Norris was more pleased with his team’s endeavours in the second half with United dominating large chunks of possession. Alanna Torrington shot wide when well placed for Portishead, as did Emily Lindsay before Holloway hit the side-netting. Substitute Libby Doyle forced a save out of hone ‘keeper Isobel Spence, who later denied Megan Halfacree twice – the second a remarkable save to tip the ball onto the crossbar. Then there was nearly drama at the death but a Portishead shot from range crashed off Clarke’s crossbar.

Meadows-Tuson – at the end of only her second game back at the club following a spell in the United States – said: “Credit goes to the girls for coming out and performing how they did in the second half, as our first half wasn’t up to standards.

“We were unlucky to come away without the win but it is momentum we can take into Moneyfields on Sunday.”

The visit of the league leaders will take place at Holloways Park, home of Beaconsfield Town FC with a 2pm kick off on Sunday afternoon.

February looks to be a key month for United. After the Moneyfields match, Maidenhead have two league matches against sides beneath them in the table and a Berk & Bucks Cup semi-final at Tier 5 outfit Reading FC Women in between those fixtures.

Next Wednesday night (February 12) the Magpies will host bottom side Southampton Women’s FC at York Road in a 7.45pm kick off. Admission will be FREE for MUFC Gold Members, £5 adults, £2 concessions.