'Keeping the ship moving': Peters embraces interim role as Magpies climb table

It’s taken Ryan Peters a couple of weeks to adjust to his new role as interim boss, having worked with his former gaffer Alan Devonshire for 15 years, first as a player and then part of his coaching team.

Devonshire departed on a high, after dominant wins over Salisbury (6-0) and Chippenham Town (3-0), he and Peters having already implemented the change in shape and system which has brought around the club’s recent success.

A miserable eight game run without a win – which featured seven losses – led to Devonshire calling it a day as manager after his second successful spell in charge at York Road.

But he’s seemingly left the club in able hands with Peters and interim assistant Aaron O’Brien having since led the club to two more thoroughly deserved victories over leaders Hornchurch (2-0) at York Road and Hampton & Richmond Borough (3-1) away on Saturday. Those results have lifted the club to within a couple of points of the play-off places, and they’d move back into the top seven with a win at Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday.

That’s the goal for Peters, who feels comfortable with his role in the Magpies hot seat. However, he’s also mindful of the fact he’s only been given the role on an interim basis so far. He said he’d continue to lead the club forward as best he could until he hears otherwise on that front.

Chairman Peter Griffin said at the time of Devonshire’s departure that Peters and O’Brien had a wonderful opportunity to take the roles on, and they are currently grasping that opportunity with both hands.

“The first two weeks (since Devonshire left) it took a while to adjust,” said Peters, who played for Dev at Braintree Town and Maidenhead before moving into the coaching set up and becoming assistant boss.

“I feel very comfortable with the role I’m in now. But I’m also very mindful of the fact that it is interim. I’m just trying to keep the ship moving forwards until I hear otherwise.”

On the side’s recent good form, and his hopes they’ll be able to show their recent consistency over a much longer period, Peters added: “So far that’s been a part of our makeup.

“We seem to go six straight wins and six straight losses and then four straight wins.

“That does not help you get into the play-offs or win leagues so we’re looking to make sure we maintain standards. And on the days when we’re not quite at it, can we stay in games and pick up points.”

After Saturday’s key clash at Hemel’s Vauxhall Road ground, Maidenhead host local rivals Slough Town on Boxing Day – a game that’s likely feature plenty of spirit and not too much goodwill!

“It will be a good game but we’re not even thinking about the Slough game at this time,” he said.

“All roads lead to Hemel at this moment in time. We’ll look to win that game and if we can we’ll be in a good place heading into that game with Slough.

“Hemel will be tough to beat. When we played them at York Road (a 2-2 draw back in late August), they dominated for large spells of our game. We came away with a draw but on another day we could have lost.”