HAMPTON & RICHMOND FACE MAIDENHEAD TOMORROW (MONDAY)
By Jack Lonergan
On Monday April 5th Hampton & Richmond Borough will travel to Maidenhead to face the the 7th-placed Magpies.
It was another glorious day at Beveree Staidum last time out for the Beavers who won their third home match on the bounce in front of a season-best 1,230 attendance.
They bested Farnborough 3-1 courtesy of another brace from Daniel Nkrumah who now has four goals in three games, and a stunner from midfielder Kwaku Frimpong which will be in the conversation for goal of the season.
As for Monday’s opponents, their last match was a dramatic 2-2 draw away to rivals Slough Town in the ‘SL Clasico’. They conceded two after 70 minutes, with a header in the 98th minute proving the equaliser.
Tempers flare at a moment’s notice at the business end of the season, and everything is on the line at both ends of the table.
The Magpies are currently occupying the final playoff spot and are just two points behind Torquay United in 4th, but will also be looking over their shoulder to Chesham United in 8th who are one point behind, as well as the three other sides who are two points behind them, including both Weston Super Mare and Chelmsford City who each have a game in hand on the Berkshire side.
In their last six games, Maidenhead have lost just once, winning three and drawing two, with the lone loss coming against playoff rivals Weston.
They recorded impressive home wins against Maidstone and league leaders Dorking in recent weeks, and have recorded twelve of their twenty league wins at York Road, scoring 37 of their 62 at home, twelve more than they have bagged on their travels.
They have the second-best goal difference in the league, and this is in large part due to the Magpies stout defence, conceding the fewest goals in the league with just 39 in 42 matches.
Dutch goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef has been an ever-present in between the sticks and has kept 16 clean sheets along the way. Centre back and captain Will De Havilland, in his fifth season at the club, is also a key component of Maidenhead’s defence, and even pops up with the odd goal, scoring four in the league this season.
Maidenhead have more than a few names to worry about at the other end of the pitch, with three forwards on double digit goals for the season.
However, the Magpies may be without their top scorer Liam Dulson. The 24-year-old left winger has fourteen goals and four assists in 39 league appearances this season, even scoring in his last three games, but he has missed the last three due to injury, and with the quickest turnaround between matches all season, it is unlikely he will feature.
Striker Josh Popoola is just one behind his teammate’s tally on thirteen and will be more than happy to pick up the slack, scoring two in his last two. He also scored in the reverse edition of this fixture at the Bev back in December.
Despite his two teammates significant contributions, the Magpies’ main man this season is Josh Popoola. The 21-year-old forward has 23 goal contributions in the league with ten goals and thirteen assists, playing a direct part in almost 40% of all Maidenhead’s goals.
A very exciting player with a big future, he will be one to watch, and like Umerah he torched Hampton & Richmond Borough in the reverse fixture with a goal and an assist.
When these two sides last faced it was a 3-1 loss for the Beavers in what was Alan Dowson’s first match since his return to the Bev. Monday’s away side is a much-changed outfit and will present a much different challenge.
The trip to York Road will be HRBFC’s first since 2017 where the two sides drew 0-0.
It will of course be a reunion between Alan Massey and the Magpies faithful. The current Hampton & Richmond Borough captain made 454 appearances for the Magpies in ten years, captaining the side for nine of those all under the tenure of legendary manager Alan Devonshire who has managed both sides.
It will be sure to be a great show of festive football this Easter Monday, and the Beavers will be back at the Bev on April 11th to face Chippenham Town. Be sure to grab your tickets for that one on the HRBFC website!
Up the Beavers!