Maidenhead Utd 3 – 1 Wealdstone

Maidenhead United 3, Wealdstone 1

Shawn McCoulsky scored twice as Maidenhead United got back to winning ways in fine style against Wealdstone at York Road on Boxing Day.

McCoulsky had put the Magpies in front in the 25th minute, but the Stones drew level through Alex Reid’s goal shortly after half-time.

Parity was restored for only a couple of minutes, however, with McCoulsky’s scoring his second in the 52nd minute and Reece Smith putting the seal on a solid home display with the Magpies’ third in the 81st minute.

The result doesn’t quite lift the Magpies out of the National League relegation zone, but it does move them level on 23 points with Braintree Town and Wealdstone just above them in the table.

Four games without a win in the National League had sapped confidence heading into the festive fixtures, but manager Alan Devonshire will hope that’s now been restored by this much-improved display.

However, they’ve also now won two and drawn one of their last three matches in the league – and that would have been three wins from five had they not conceded to the very last kick of the game against Solihull Moors in their last home game.

The Magpies also finally clicked as an attacking unit to beat one of the teams that are in and around them in the table.

United began brightly with Reece Smith and Owen Cochrane – recently signed on a permanent transfer from Stevenage – linking up well to create an early opportunity. Cochrane went close again in the 13th minute with a shot from distance that flew over the crossbar. Smith came close in the 17th minute, just failing to squeeze home a shot from a tight angle as the home side continued to press forward with purpose.

Casey Pettit also chanced his arm with an attempt from distance with Wealdstone’s keeper Steward forced to parry the ball behind for a Maidenhead corner.

However, the goal their early dominance deserved did eventually arrive in the 25th minute and it was McCoulsky who got it, keeping his calm to slot past Steward in the 25th minute after being played through on goal.

United held onto their lead through to the interval and it was an advantage that was more than deserved on the balance of play.

However, they held onto it for only four minutes of the second half before Kretzschmar split the Magpies defence with a fine through ball and Reid dinked the ball over Craig Ross to make it 1-1.

Devonshire must have felt that the Magpies’ good play would count for little or nothing once again, but on this occasion, they were clinical when chances fell their way. In the 53rd minute, Tristan Abrahams won the ball back in the final third and kept his cool to draw Steward and slip a pass into McCoulsky who was able to walk the ball into the Wealdstone net.

Abrahams went close to a third with a curling shot that bounced back off the post in the 66th minute – and their hopes of claiming only a third home win of the season were then aided when Stones’ substitute Craig Eastmond was shown a straight red for a dangerous lunch on Smith in the 67th minute.

Kevin Lokko’s header was kept out by Steward as the Magpies looked to make the most of their man advantage. And most of the 1,725 in attendance on Boxing Day were sent home happy when Smith fired home United’s third with nine minutes to play.

McCoulsky had a late chance to score what would have been a deserved hat-trick, but he couldn’t quite get the ball under control at his feet and Steward was able to get out and collect.

Maidenhead now move on to an away game at 17th placed Woking on New Year’s Day (Wednesday) looking to pick up another win from their festive fixtures.