Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead continued their good form of 2006 by securing a valuable point in the fight against relegation at high-flying neighbours Slough on Saturday.

With Slough coming off the back of three straight defeats and Maidenhead fresh from goal-scoring sprees in their last two games, it was of little surprise that it was Callum Giles' away side who started the better.

Maids put considerable pressure on the Slough goal, which was marshalled by ex-Maids reserve 'keeper Dave Bockett-Pugh. However, a series of penalty corners came to nothing and Slough made Maidenhead pay, when an attacker pounced quickly on a deflection in the 'D' and swept home.

Slough's goal aside, Anthony Gaze and Richard Edwards had been superb at the back for Maidenhead and Slough's attack remained less potent than Maids'.

Five minutes from the break, Giles' men got a deserved reward: the prolific Matt McConkey dragged a ferocious flick past the despairing glove of Bockett-Pugh at a penalty corner and into the roof of the net.

Minutes later McConkey nearly repeated the trick but his flick sped off the top of the crossbar and out of the ground. Maidenhead will sorely miss McConkey, who was due to return to his native South Africa this week.

In the second half Slough showed why they are challenging for promotion and piled pressure on the Maids goal.

But Gaze and man of the match Edwards stood firm, with 'keeper Spencer Bird clam when called into action.

Maidenhead looked dangerous on the break and Chris Jones' sublime skill and pace flummoxed the Slough defence - but no one was on hand to touch his tantalising cross into the empty goal.

McConkey spent his last minutes for Maidenhead off the pitch, yellow-carded for a bad tackle, and Maids reverted to all-out defence. That said, Maids were adamant that a foul on Dan Reid should have earned them a short corner - instead, the umpire blew for full time.

Maidenhead are now unbeaten in four league games; tomorrow they entertain Trojans, another side pushing for promotion.

* NOW that Maidenhead ladies have qualified for next season's national Indoor League - they edged out Southgate, Tulse Hill & Dulwich and Horsham in the South indoor finals - the club is hopeful of attracting new players to this higher standard of play.

The team is coached by Neil Archer and play-ers involved in the indoor hockey success were Lucy Stevenson (GK), Debbie Keel, Chantel Frost, Emma Easson, Clare Third, Krystina Hohenhauer, Claire Edgerley (captain), Kathryn Mgonigle, Sam Archer, Ruth Young and Bex Miall.

MatchFacts

SOUTH LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION 2

SLOUGH 1(S Ali) MAIDENHEAD 1(M McConkey)

Maidenhead: Bird, Cresey, Edwards, Gaze, Sood, Allan, Roberts, Bockett-Pugh, McConkey, Reid, Cassidy, Latham, Jones

ic Berkshire ~ Maidenhead