Magpies left frustrated as play-off push stalls against Chippenham at Hardenhuish Park

Manny Onariase. Photo credit: MUFC

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Chippenham Town 1, Maidenhead United 0

Maidenhead United will be kicking themselves this evening after slipping back out of the National League South play-off places after going down to a hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat at bottom club Chippenham Town.

Chippenham have been in improved form of late, but the Magpies would have expected to have had enough in their armoury to have caused them more problems, especially off the back of home wins over Dagenham & Redbridge and Salisbury.

It’s debatable whether Maidenhead created the game’s better chances overall, but those they did create, they couldn’t take as Chippenham clung onto the lead given to them by Harry Parson’s first half penalty.

Boss Ryan Peters made some changes for the trip to Hardenhuish Park, with Harry Pritchard coming into midfield in place of Matt Robinson. And they started relatively brightly when Dillon De Silva’s free kick in the third minute was met by Will de Havilland before Josh Umerah directed his header over the bar and onto the top of the net.

Perhaps then some complacency set in, as Jordi Van Stappershoef was called into action. Sol Wanju-Smith broke through the Magpies’ back line too easily, but Van Stappershoef spread himself well to deflect the effort off target in the eighth minute.

De Havilland then made two crucial blocks in the penalty area as the home side threatened to hit the front. This they did in the 25th minute when the Magpies conceded a penalty.

Parsons kept his cool to fire the spot kick high into the top left-hand corner.

The goal rocked the Magpies and Chippenham remained on top through to the interval with Parsons going close again with a shot that flew over the bar in the 40th minute.

Ryan Peters would have called for a big improvement in terms of performance, but the visitors struggled to create anything that was overly clear cut until the latter stages of the game.

Then, as Chippenham fell back and attempted to protect their slender lead, the Magpies began to have some joy.

Manny Onariase headed wide from Josh Popoola’s cross in the 70th minute before Matt Robinson – a second half substitute for Pritchard - strode forward to send another shot from the edge of the area narrowly wide in the 79th minute.

Maidenhead fans were convinced Alfie Pendlebury’s shot was blocked by a hand in the box in the 88th minute, but nothing was given.

The visitors ramped up the pressure once again in second half stoppage time but to no avail.

A corner was delivered deep to the back post where De Havilland volleyed it back across the six-yard box, but, frustratingly, no one was there to turn it home and Chippenham survived. Then int eh 96th minute, Liam Dulson cut in onto his right, but Henry was able to save his powerful shot at the near post.

The result sees the Magpies fall from seventh to 10th in the table. This was supposed to be the game that cemented their place in the play-off spots. Instead, they are now two points off seventh placed Weston Super Mare having been overtaken by Chelmsford, who move up to ninth with a magnificent 5-0 win over Torquay United, Chesham United, who picked up a creditable point at leaders Dorking Wanderers, and Hemel Hempstead, who rise to sixth with a 1-0 home win over Tonbridge Angels.

The Magpies now play a couple of home games against AFC Totton on Tuesday evening and Maidstone United next Saturday.

"What we can't afford to do, if our thought process is to get into the playoffs, is to have performances like that."

Ryan Peters assesses this afternoon's defeat and echoes his best wishes for the home supporter ️ pic.twitter.com/zH316QLfhW

— Maidenhead United (@MUFCYorkRoad) February 28, 2026