MAIDS go head to head with old foes Marlow in a very local derby at Braywick tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 2.15pm, with both clubs targeting the game for very different reasons.
Title-chasing Maids need a win to stay in touch at the top, but are also relishing the prospect of a fiercely fought, traditional grudge match.
Coach Simon Edwards was particularly excited about the encounter, saying: “I’m delighted that at last there’s going to be a local derby between Marlow and Maidenhead. When I was a player it was always one of our favourite games of the year.
“For various reasons we haven’t played each other for many years, but it’s a game the club has been looking forward to for a long time.”
And Edwards dismissed suggestions of an easy win over his midtable opponents.
He said: “On paper they are capable of beating anyone in the league. They are certainly a very capable side and we are very, very aware of the danger they pose.
“This is a very important, must-win game for us. We’ve been targeting it.
“We need to go to Oakmeadians next week on a high, so we’ll be putting out our best possible side.
“I am confident but, like I said, they are capable of upsetting anyone.”
“It’s going to be a real derby battle.”
Over at Riverwoods, Marlow are also targeting tomorrow’s game, but only as a turning point for their so-so season.
Talking about his side’s recent poor run of results, coach Mark Weedon said: “It’s been disappointing and very frustrating.
“We haven’t been able to get any consistency of personnel and we haven’t been able to string phases of play together.
“We really need to start performing and regain some of our enthusiasm. It’s a local derby this week, so I’m hoping it will bring that back.
“The guys are definitely up for this one. The intensity has gone up, simply because it’s Maidenhead.”
But Weedon remained cagey about the prospects for an upset.
He said: “We’re definitely up for it but we are the underdogs. If we perform, we should give Maidenhead a good game. I’m looking forward to it.”
Tomorrow’s clash is a second local derby in successive weeks for Maids, who beat league stragglers High Wycombe 37-3 in dreadful conditions on Saturday.
While the winning margin should have been larger, Edwards claimed he was pleased to have successfully negotiated a potential banana skin.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the result. It’s always difficult to run out in poor conditions and with a very ordinary referee. Bad weather is always a leveller.”
He also praised Wycombe for their staunch defence, although his comments were double-edged.
He added: “I’m not being funny, but when you’re down at the bottom and fighting for your life the one thing you do a lot of is defending. You become quite good at it because you keep having to do it.
“The danger with that is you tend to forget how to attack.”
And Edwards’ theory was borne out by the facts, as Wycombe enjoyed plenty of time in Maidenhead’s half, but could only manage a single score – and that from a penalty kick. Edwards added: “That’s a lack of confidence in attack.”
Despite his pleasure with a win, Edwards did admit the game represented a wasted opportunity to narrow the gap on league leaders Swanage & Wareham, who have a far superior points-difference.
He said: “The one down side is that Swanage are scoring at the same rate as us.
“It means we have to claw some more back against Marlow on Saturday, which is not something I wanted to be doing.”