Match report courtesy of the

Saturday 29th September 2007

Maidenhead will look back on this clash on Saturday as one they could have won, but that is little consolation for a team which has now lost three consecutive league games - the club's worst run for three years.

Missing influential players like Max Willcocks, Ashley Riley and Alex Gallina, the visitors always seemed underdogs, and when they went 5-0 down in as many minutes thanks to a Cleve catch and drive finished off by Steve Hunt, the travelling faithful might have feared the worst.

However, the match panned out as an even contest, in fact Maids must have had more possession and territory overall, but crucially couldn't make this count. Some basic errors, poor decision-making and the referee's whistle hindered them all game. Maids got back on track on 15 minutes when centre Jonny Hammond finished off a fine team move, in which Roko Babich featured highly, with a characteristically jinky run. Simon Mackay converted.

Two minutes later Cleve bagged another unconverted try - from Dan Ajuwa - with the visitors defence stretched. But this merely heralded a period of Maids pressure until the break, but it was to be fruitless, the closest they came was from a late penalty attempt from Mackay which drifted narrowly wide.

The second half was a game of nip and tuck, Maids levelled proceedings on 45 minutes through the boot of Mackay after it seemed as if Simon Cripps must score in the corner, but the referee blew his whistle because of a random scuffle and awarded the penalty to Maids.

It took Cleve more than 20 minutes to make headway in the half, and when they were awarded two penalties in quick succession, James Golledge was quick to pounce and make the score 16-10 against the run of play. The pattern continued with Maids pressing hard, but unable to breach a well-drilled defence.

With 77 minutes on the clock, Maids chose to take the three points when awarded a penalty in front of the posts, instead of chancing their arm and going for the try. But ultimately it did not matter as in the third minute of injury time, Golledge touched down and converted for 23-13.

The scoreline was harsh on Maids and the result a lesson in how to make the most of what comes your way.

Maidenhead:
Mackay, Cripps, Hammond, Andrew, Lowden, Ruddick, Edwards, O¹Byrne, Craig, Blackwell, Babich, Mueller, Kertesz (Thomas), Parkhouse (Cannon), Riley. Subs not used: Prince.