Give Scott Davies the FA Cup, Maidenhead Town’s ‘incredible’ comeback and the benefit of positive PR

Maidenhead United fans are getting used to that winning feeling

This is a strange thing with Maidenhead United. The club spent eight years in the top flight of non-league football, often enjoying long spells of unbeaten runs, followed by long runs, and surviving with great difficulty.

It’s all managed by long-serving manager, former West Ham United and England striker (and one who couldn’t agree more after interviewing him in the summer) Alan Devonshire.

The club did not panic in the summer after relegation, or after the opening day defeat to Chesham United and Devonshire remained the man responsible for it all. Of course, that also means there are two opinions within the team and you are either ‘Devonshire Out’, or ‘Devonshire In’ in the public opinion that is the Maidenhead United Facebook group.

At the moment, there’s nothing to complain about – which is often a difficult concept for us football fans to grasp.

The Magpies have won their last six games in the league, they have scored 15 goals which doesn’t feel like a lot (the division average is 13) but they haven’t conceded either – only Hemel Hempstead Town have conceded less than Maidenhead’s eight goals, the average attendance is over 1,000 and the club itself has released an impressive community impact document which is worth reading here – especially the impressive increase in women and girls participation which will only help grow the club’s fan base.

Talk about positive PR – Windsor & Eton

Another club well known in the community is Windsor & Eton. Royalist is working on installing an artificial surface at Stag Meadow.

A long-held ambition of many involved with the clubs who have called the famous old stadium home over the past decade, the club is on a positive PR mission to show that the new ground will not have a negative impact on its neighbours.

As if to highlight this, the club’s new parking arrangements were put to a tough test at the weekend with a crowd of just under 400 for a 2-1 win over former tenants Virginia Water – it appears this test has passed.

Windsor’s aim to install an artificial surface is getting some local press, so it’s great to see the club getting involved in such a positive way because, whether they like that type of surface or not, this remains the most sustainable direction of travel for grassroots football clubs.

Read more about Windsor & Eton’s artificial field goals here.

Wokingham Town Women recorded their first win

Five games into the season and Wokingham Town have picked up their first win. A 5-1 win at Wargrave in Division Three of the Southern Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League came courtesy of a hat-trick from Ella Traynor Smith and a brace from Milanna Betsy. Alison Richardson scored for the home team.

With a series of cup games early in the TVCWFL – as with most leagues – it sometimes takes a little while to get going, especially when the level of opposition varies so much in the cup draw. Just file this one under ‘things we like to see’.

The stunning comeback of Maidenhead City

Premier League promotion hopefuls Thames Valley were dead and buried in their Charles Twelftree Cup tie at home to Reading YMCA with 85 minutes gone.

The Blues trailed 4-1 until Joe Park “turned the game around” scoring twice and Mitchell Burley sensationally equalized late on.

Shellshock for YMCA whose manager Steve Melledew – winner of the competition with Burghfield two seasons ago – said: “It’s been a long time since I was a Gaffa and I’ve experienced defeat like that. You guys did something extraordinary today.”

Town then won the penalty shootout 4–3 despite missing their first spot kick.

And holding on to the trophy, Newbury Town came away from Britwell with a score of 3-1 to progress to the next round.

Ascot United Women’s first home defeat ‘in many years’

It has been three and a half years since Ascot United Women were beaten at home in the league. The club’s promotion to the FA Women’s National League means that record will always be in jeopardy as the level of competition increases.

The Yellas have drawn with Moneyfields and beaten Portishead Town at home in the league this season but those records fell when Bridgwater United broke through the Racecourse Ground defense to win 3-0.

It will be a quick turnaround for Yellas who will face Chesham United next in the League Cup before hosting Reading FC Women in the County Cup.

Woodley United continues to fly high

I’m told that Woodley wants to keep flying under the radar. But if Jordan Blake’s squad keeps winning, it’s inevitable.

It remains a remarkable turnaround for the Kestrels who – we may have mentioned once or twice – only spent one matchday outside the relegation zone last season.

Blake’s squad is second in the Combined State League Division One and is yet to lose this season. They are just one point behind leaders PFC Victoria London who they beat on Saturday and have played two games less.

A repeat of 2017? It is too early to make such a statement. It is rare for a team in Step 6 to go undefeated in a season, only the nature of the number of games and the workload of players on and off the field determines this.

What I will say for sure is that Woodley United is in no danger of going downhill this season.