Devonshire issues rallying call to Maidenhead United fans ahead of York City test (original) (raw)

Photo credit: Andy Fitzsimons

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Alan Devonshire has called on Maidenhead United fans to be their 12th man in the coming weeks and months as he looks for the side to build on a couple of largely positive performances over the Christmas period.

United got the better of Wealdstone 3-1 at York Road on Boxing Day and were the better side by some distance in their 3-1 defeat to Woking on New Year's Day.

However, the manager can see that performances are improving and the away fans at the Laithwaite Community Stadium clapped the players off after their ill-deserved defeat, aware they probably should have won the game with the chances that fell their way.

Finding that edge in front of goal has been an issue for the team all season, and Devonshire has taken some steps to address that with the addition of winger Ricky Korboa from Livingstone and 20-year-old Northern Irish centre forward Noah Stewart from Ballymena United.

When pressed by Maidenhead United press officer Shay Bottomley on whether there was a need for further signings, Devonshire added that the club could do more business in the coming weeks.

“We could do, we could do. We will look at things,” said Devonshire.

“We’ve brought in Ricky, who will hopefully play off the right. We’ve missed Jadyn [Mitchell-Lawson] since he’s been injured, and we’ve tried other people and that, so I like to think he could fit in there. Noah will come in and give us another option up top because we’ve only got the two boys now with Tobi [Sho-Silva] being out long-term with injury. So yeah, listen, at the end of the day, we know what we’ve got to do, and the boys are up for it.”

Maidenhead's defeat at Woking leaves the side fourth from bottom of the National League on goal difference - but only two points behind 18th placed Aldershot Town.

This Saturday they welcome league leaders York City to York Road and Devonshire is urging supporters to get behind the players in a bid to help them get the results needed to keep this club in the division.

“Get behind the lads,” he said.

“[The supporters] were great at Woking; we’d lost 3-1, and they still clapped us, and they knew how unlucky we were.

“But, at the end of the day, we need points on the board; we need you to get behind us – it gives a big lift for the lads when you’re behind us – so let’s get the results we need.”

Their 6-2 defeat at York City aside, the Magpies have looked a much-improved side in recent weeks, finding the intensity and work rate Devonshire has demanded from his teams over the years.

They were denied victory in the final seconds against Solihull Moors - having played for more than an hour with only 10 men and also had chances to equalise in their narrow defeat at Eastleigh before their morale-boosting home win over Wealdstone on Boxing Day.

“[It’s been] slightly disappointing with the results,” said Devonshire. “Not really with the effort from the lads, but, because we’ve had a lot of injuries this year, we haven’t been able to do anything now until January. So, bringing in an extra couple of players I like to think will help, but at the end of the day they will take time to settle in. So yeah, hopefully the second half of the season will be better.”

He added: “It probably wasn’t the best game at Eastleigh, but we still had chances to get a result,

“We need to just push on and get results; we’ve got to play with intensity – that is the way we have to play – and if we carry on doing that, we’ll be fine.”