Tarpey and Marks strike down Wealdstone as Maidenhead United move 10 points clear

Maidenhead United 2, Wealdstone 0

Dave Tarpey and Sean Marks struck second half goals as Maidenhead United finally ended their recent hoodoo against Wealdstone to extend their lead at the top of National League South to 10 points.

Tarpey's deflected effort from the edge of the area four minutes into the second half gave the home side a stranglehold on the game before Marks' powerful diving header from close range put the seal on United's 17th win of the campaign.

Having suffered only their second league defeat of the season in a 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone on Boxing Day the Magpies came into their first fixture of the New Year with revenge firmly on their minds.

The Magpies have swept all before them in the National League South this season, but Gordon Bartlett's side have refused to play second fiddle to Alan Devonshire's all conquering side. At times it's as if they hold the Indian sign over United having not lost to the Magpies in seven attempts coming into today’s fixture and having recently knocked them out of the FA Trophy.

The Stones have also arrested a poor run of form in the league. Prior to their Trophy success against the Magpies they'd lost four from five but Bartlett's side came into 2017 with two victories from their last three matches and are also through to the second round of the Trophy after a replay victory over Wingate & Finchley.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given recent results between the two teams this was a tight, close contest from the opening whistle and, if anything, the better passing play came from the visitors in the first half with Rhyeem Sheckleford looking particularly dangerous down the right flank.

The Stones had the ball in the back of the net as early as the sixth minute but Elliott Benyon's instinctive strike from Ricky Wellard's volley was deemed to be just offside.

United were keen to show just why they led the division by nine points and 10 minutes had ticked by when Sean Marks' close range header from a Tarpey corner was saved at point blank range by North. Remy Clerima headed the rebound just over.

The sides continued to trade chances and Benyon should have done much better when he acrobatically turned a decent chance on the volley well over Pentney's bar a few minutes later. A header from Marks appeared to be blocked by a Wealdstone defender's arm as the Magpies pushed to make the breakthrough before half-time but the 1282 fans inside York Road - a season high - didn't have to wait much longer for the home side to open their account.

Tarpey, who had already seen a free kick saved at the second attempt by North a minute after the restart, cut in from the left flank and danced past a couple of Stones' defenders before sending a heavily deflected shot past the stranded North in the 49th minute.

United had an excellent chance to wrap up the points when Tarpey lashed just wide of North’s post in the 69th minute after a surging, skilful run down the left flank from Rene Steer. But the miss mattered little as Maidenhead all but clinched the win with their second goal a minute later.

Tarpey broke free down the right and delivered an inch-perfect cross which Marks headed powerfully past North at full stretch. Tarpey might have added another in the closing stages when he fired into the side netting before North denied him with an excellent save but, despite a late rally from the visitors which saw Benyon drive narrowly wide of the post from an angle and substitute Nick Freeman test Pentney with a low drive, Maidenhead were good value for their win and their defence was once again excellent on home soil.  

Tarpey, who was substituted late on to a chorus of 'Dave Tarpey, we want you to stay', is likely to have plenty of suitors after his goalscoring exploits for United this season, and Devonshire said the club won't stand in his way if he gets the chance to move into the professional game. 

"I've not had calls yet but it's down to the clubs. If they want to put an offer in we'll consider it," said Devonshire.

"We don't want Tarps to go because he's a big part of what we're about but I'll also understand if the kid gets the chance to go into the pro game or League 2 then we wouldn't stand in his way. 

"Listen we're 10 points clear having played 23 games with 19 to go. "We must be doing something right as a group. We look no further than St Albans next week." 

Maidenhead United: Pentney, Clerima, Steer, Upward (Cox 66’), Massey (C), Peters (Inman 69’), Tarpey (Hammond 87’), Comley, Marks, Mulley, Forbes. Subs not used: Smith, Kelly.

Wealdstone: North, Sheckleford, Brown (Hamblin 24’), Hunt, Oshodi, Godfrey (Wright 51’), Green (Freeman 70’), Coz (C), Benyon, Wellard, Whichelow. Subs not used: Koroma, McGleish.

Attendance: 1282