So it was FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round day and I was over at York Road to see Maidenhead United and Havant & Waterlooville do battle for a place in the First Round Proper.
This was the hosts first encounter in this seasons FA Cup as being a Vanarama National League side (Step One) they receive a bye to this round. For Havant this was their third tie after the Vanarama National South side (Step Two) entered at the Second Qualifying Round stage.
The hosts probably started as favourites in this one although it was the visitors who would of been happier of the two sides in a rather scrappy opening quarter hour but midway through the half the hosts struck when after Barratt had been fouled, he got back up and the referee played on and saw Barratt strike a terrific effort into the far corner beyond Young and give the hosts the advantage.
Three minutes later Havant came close to wiping out that lead when hosts keeper Pentney somehow kept out a Lewis close range header, and just past the hour mark Havant saw a Rose effort cleared off the line.
In the 34th minute the hosts broke forward and ended with a ball going across goal, then two minutes before half time Barratt’s pace took him beyond the Hawks back line but keeper Young managed to rush from his goal and thwart any danger.
And just before half time Clifton burst into the visitors area and put in a good ball that was hacked clear by the Hawks backline, and it meant the hosts had a slender lead at the break.
Half Time Maidenhead United 1 Havant & Waterlooville 0
The visitors probably felt unlucky to be behind at the break but four minutes into the second period found an equaliser when moments after Rose had seen another effort cleared off the line, Havant kept the pressure up and saw a loose ball drop to Prior who volleyed home and we were all square.
However Maidenhead so nearly restored the lead almost immediately when firstly Clifton headed over the Hawks bar and then secondly Barratt managed to get in but lifted his effort miles over the bar.
Just before the hour mark another good ball into the Hawks box saw hosts forward Clifton head wide of the near post and then on the hour mark came the closest to retaking the lead when Odametey thumped an extraordinary effort against the bar. It had been the hosts best spell of the game for sure.
But just past the hour mark Havant almost took the lead when a good move ended with the ball rolled into the path of Tarbuck, but his effort was well beaten away by Pentney for a corner, which was headed well wide in the end.
A rather scrappy period followed but as we approached the final few minutes you felt it was the hosts who were more intent on finding a winner as the visitors seemed happy to earn a replay and take Maidenhead back to the south coast on Tuesday.
With five minutes remaining Hawks keeper Young had to be alert to beat away a Pritchard effort from thirty yards out, but as we hit the ninety minute mark the board went up for three additional minutes, so three minutes for someone to find a winner.
And in the first of those minutes the hosts pounced to find that winner when Upward ran onto the ball and smashed a terrific effort across Young and into the far corner to spark scenes of joy amongst the home contingent. It was a shame for Havant who had played so well throughout but had fallen late on.
Pritchard almost sealed it for the hosts when after bursting into the area could only loft an effort wide of the post, however the hosts saw it out to take their place in the First Round Proper draw on Monday evening.
Full Time Maidenhead United 2 Havant & Waterlooville 1
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