MATCH PREVIEW | MAIDENHEAD UNITED

Barnet return to the Hive this Saturday (3pm) as the Bees will be taking on Maidenhead United in the Vanarama National League.

 

Barnet:

Dean Brennan and his side are playing at home for the first time of 2025, after returning from an incredible 3-0 victory away to Southend United last weekend in the Vanarama National League.

 The Bees gave an outstanding performance at the Roots Hall stadium, continuing their unbeaten run to 12 games in the league. 

Barnet opened the scoring in the 23^rd minute, a left sided corner by Antony Hartigan was connected at the far post by Danny Collinge, who headers the ball into the back of the net, putting the Bees in front. 

As half-time was approaching, the lead was doubled in the 33^rd minute, as some great play by Ryan Glover to send through Myles Kenlock, driving the ball into the box and finds Mark Shelton, who deflects it into the back of the Southend goal, making it 2-0 heading into the break.

 Heading into a even second half, Southend were believed to have picked up a lifeline for themselves as a corner by Oli Cocker was pushed into the Barnet net by Josh Walker.

 However, during the build up to the goal, the ref blew for a foul on Bees keeper Owen Evans, to which the goal was disallowed, and the score remained 2-0.

 Zak Brunt delivered a corner in the 73^rd minute, which was helped headed over by Joe Grimwood, falling perfectly to Danny Collinge who grabbed his second of the day in front of the Barnet fans, making the full-time score 3-0 to the Bees against the shrimpers.

 

 

Barnet last five results:

Southend United 0-3 Barnet FC

Forest Green Rovers 0-0 Barnet FC

Altrincham 3-1 Barnet FC

Eastleigh FC 1-1 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 3-3 Sutton United

Maidenhead United FC:

Maidenhead United are also coming off a successful weekend in the Vanarama National League, as the Magpies won 4-1 at home to AFC Fylde. 

Maidenhead were able to move out of the relegation zone as well over the weekend thanks to the three points, as fellow relegation fighters Wealdstone drew 1-1 at home to Hartlepool United, dropping them back into the bottom four.

 Tristan Abraham took the lead for the hosts in the 33^rd minute, slotting the ball into the net from a Reece Smith low cross. Less than two minutes later, Maidenhead doubled their lead with a goal from Shawn McCoulsky, making it 2-0 going into the break. 

 

The teams returned to the pitch and in just under ten minutes into the half, Thierry Latter-Fairweather gave Maidenhead their third goal, securing a comfortable lead. 

 

Fylde managed to pull one back just seven minutes later through Lincoln McFayden, taking the clean sheet away from the hosts.

 

 But it wasn’t over yet as Tristan Abrahams claimed a fourth goal for Maidenhead as well as his second of the day in the 75^th minute, which saw the Magpies achieve the victory and take the three points.

 

Maidenhead United last five results:

Maidenhead United 4-1 AFC Fylde

Altrincham 4-0 Maidenhead United

Woking 3-1 Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United 3-1 Wealdstone

Eastleigh 1-0 Maidenhead United

In the opposite dugout:

Former West Ham player Alan Devonshire is Maidenheads manager with Ryan Peters alongside him as his assistant. 

Devonshire has been in charge of the Magpies since 2015, returning to the club 12 years on from his first spell managing at the club between 1996 to 2003. Throughout his time at the club during his second spell, Devonshire has been praised for helping keep the club in the division, his best performance was in the 2017/18 season, with a top half table finish and winning the manager of the month award for April 2018. 

Devonshire managed his 800^th game for the Magpies away to Aldershot Town on the 31^st of August 2024, where the game finished 4-3 to the hosts.

Ones to watch:

Magpies centre forward Tristan Abraham is the current top goal scorer for the club so far this season. Scoring 8 and assisting 4 in 23 appearances in the league, he has managed to average a goal every 211 minutes.

Last time these two sides met:

The Bees faced a 3-1 loss last time out against the Magpies in the league at earlier in the season. Reece Smith and Tristan Abraham gave Maidenhead a two goal lead heading into half-time, but Callum Stead headed the ball into the net within the dying seconds of the first half, claiming one back at the break. 

Barnet looked strong starting off the second half, but Reece Smith popped up once again, slotting the ball past Nick Hayes in the 53^rd minute, grabbing his second as well as the victory for Maidenhead.

Dean Brennan and his side will be looking for a stronger outcome for the Bees this Saturday, as well as extending their unbeaten run in the National League, and finishing the weekend off at the top of the table.