Late drama at York Road as Popoola fires Maidenhead United to fourth straight win

Liam Dulson fires home Maidenhead United's opener. Photo: Darren Woolley

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Maidenhead United 2, Chelmsford City 1

Maidenhead United secured their fourth league win in a row in dramatic circumstances, with Josh Popoola guiding home an injury-time winner, moments after Jack Barham had levelled matters for visitors Chelmsford City.

This game was billed as a clash between two teams expected to be in the promotion picture in the National League South this season, and it didn’t disappoint.

Fresh from their excellent 4-0 win at Bath City on Tuesday night, Maidenhead came into the game with plenty of confidence, however, the Clarets looked eager to make amends for their 5-2 loss to Farnborough at home on Monday.

That spurred them on in the first half and the Magpies had to weather a storm from their visitors for much of the opening half an hour. Their best moment came in the 18^th minute when Jack Barham cut in from the right and swept a low shot goalwards that Jordi Van Stappershoerf got down well to save. It wouldn’t be the last time the Magpies stopper got his team out of a hole in the match.

The Clarets saw another decent chance go begging in the 28^th minute when Taylor Clark’s goal bound shot was bravely blocked by Owen Cochrane.

Without captain Will de Havilland’s steadying presence, the Magpies defence looked a little shaky, but the hosts grew into the half as it wore on, with Popoola seeing his low shot from an angle pushed out by Chris Haigh at his near post, and Jordon Ragguette also testing his luck from distance, with Haigh again shovelling the ball over the bar.

The Magpies though took the lead shortly before the break and slightly against the general run of play. From their best move of the match, Ragguette sent a teasing ball to the back post where the on-rushing Cochrane turned the ball onto the underside of the crossbar on the half-volley. The ball then looped up for Liam Dulson to smash home on the volley with Haigh looking a little unsighted as the ball flashed past him.

United had a lead to protect going into the second half and, although the Clarets remained a threat on the break, the hosts largely controlled proceedings and looked the more likely to add to their lead.

Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, who had a quiet game by his high standards, got to the by-line in the 52^nd minute and nearly picked out teammate Popoola in the middle, but the outstretched leg of Josh Castiglione came to Chelmsford’s rescue.

Popoola then forced Haigh into another save just after the hour mark, the ball clipping the crossbar as it went over.

But there were big moments at the other end as well and Van Stappershoef’s double save from Lyle Taylor and Junior Nkeng played a big part in the Magpies coming away with all three points. Having parried Taylor’s shot back into the middle in the 77^th minute, Nkeng looked certain to score, but the big Dutch keeper got down well to make another stunning block, with Ragguette also doing well to put the substitute off.

United could have killed the game in the final 10 minutes, when substitute Kai Yearn’s fabulous dipping shot from the edge of the area hit the underside of the cross in the 83^rd minute, with keeper Haigh saving well from Dulson in the follow up action.

And it looked like the Magpies would pay a heavy price for missing those chances when a Chelmsford free kick hit the inside of the post and bounced out for Barham to score in the 89^th minute.

A draw might have been reasonably fair on the balance of play; however, Maidenhead showed their big-game mentality in the closing minutes to come up with a stoppage time winner.

Dulson did brilliantly to chase down a lost cause and hung a cross up to the far post, where substitute Corie Andrew nodded it back into the middle. There was still plenty for Popoola to do, but he somehow held off his marker before guiding a low left-footed shot into the corner past a flat-footed Haigh.

Cue bedlam around York Road, with supporters sensing the Magpies had just claimed a huge win in the context of their season.

The result lifts them up a place to fifth in the table on 14 points, now just six behind leaders Hornchurch. Chelmsford City drop to 13^th place.

Jordon Ragguette, who put in another excellent shift for the Magpies this afternoon, on @MUFCYorkRoad’s last-gasp 2-1 win over @OfficialClarets - Josh Popoola with the winner in second half stoppage time minutes after Jack Barham had levelled for the Clarets. pic.twitter.com/ct3lWFtXOV

— Daniel Darlington (@Darlington10) September 6, 2025