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    • Weekend preview: Magpies keen to make amends at Maidstone after FA Cup stumble

    Daniel Darlington

    danield@baylismedia.co.uk

    11:00AM, Friday 19 September 2025

    Maidstone United vs Maidenhead United

    Maidenhead United resume their league campaign with a trip to Maidstone United on Saturday, with Alan Devonshire’s Magpies looking to make it five league wins on the spin against the Stones.

    United come into the clash in excellent league form, having seen off Chelmsford City and Bath City in their most recent National League South clashes, however, there’s also the little matter of bouncing back from last weekend’s surprise FA Cup defeat to Faversham Town.

    United were big favourites to advance past their Isthmian League South East rivals at York Road, but they failed to make the most of their chances and succumbed to a goal shortly before half-time from Tashi-Jay Kwaiye.

    Assistant boss Ryan Peters said afterwards the Magpies’ squad owed their fans a performance at the Gallagher Stadium to make up for it, and they’ll be determined to make amends against a Maidstone side who’ve been in fluctuating form of late.

    In a congested table, the Stones sit 15th in the league with 10 points - only four behind the Magpies in fifth place - however, they’re without a win in five matches in all competitions and lost 2-0 to Folkstone Invicta in the FA Cup second qualifying round last weekend.

    They’ve also shifted three goals in each of their last three league matches - two of them defeats, so the Magpies may well fancy their chances of rediscovering the clinical edge that was missing from their play against Faversham.

    The sides most recently met back in 2023, when two early goals from Emile Acquah earned the home side a 2-1 victory over the Stones.

    The game is non-segregated, but the Genco Stand is where most of the home supporters congregate to watch the games from. The Town End Stand, at the opposite end, is where visiting supporters have gathered for recent matches.

    Ticket prices are as follows: Adults (18 to 64-year-olds): £18.00; Concessions (65+/17/students with valid ID): £15.00; Youth (11 to 16-year-olds): £10.00, must be accompanied by a paying adult; Junior (10 and under): £5.00, must be accompanied by a paying adult. Under-6s: Free, must be accompanied by a paying adult

    Click here for more details.

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    Slough Town vs Hornchurch

    Slough Town are back in action at Arbour Park on Saturday with National League South leaders Hornchurch the visitors in a game that’s sure to test Scott Davies’ young and inexperienced squad.

    The Rebels managed to advance past Welling United in the FA Cup this week but needed a replay to book their place in the third qualifying round with Wiktor Makowski scoring the winner from close range in the 79th minute.

    Slough sit 16th in the table, but they went four league games unbeaten before coming unstuck in a 4-2 defeat at Torquay United in their last league match at Plainmoor. They’ve collected two wins and three draws from their eight matches so far, but Hornchurch have been something of a surprise package in the league so far.

    Under Daryl McMahon they’ve won six and drawn two of their eight matches to lead the table by a point from Weston Super Mare, however, they did bow out of the FA Cup last weekend after losing 2-1 on the road at Peterborough Sports.

    Slough also have an enviable home record against the best sides in the league at Arbour Park and will be hoping to add another feather to their bow when they take on the leaders on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

    Click here to buy tickets for the match.

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    Flackwell Heath vs Leverstock Green

    After advancing past Soul Tower Hamlets FC in the FA Cup last weekend, Flackwell Heath will be trying to re-establish themselves among the frontrunners in the Southern League Central Division, having slipped to ninth while in FA Cup action.

    Chris Ayres side have played just three league matches so far, but they’ve won two of them and drew the other, so they’ll be looking for a healthy return of points from this week’s home matches against Leverstock Green (11th) on Saturday and Enfield (15th) on Tuesday evening.

    Flackwell are ninth in the league, three points outside of the play-off places but have matches in hand on pretty much all the teams above them having not played in the league since August 26 - a 2-0 away win at Aylesbury United.

    Since then, they’ve progressed to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup, beating Lewes and Soul Tower on the way to set up a home tie with Bracknell Town. They also bowed out of the FA Trophy after a 1-0 loss to AFC Porchester.

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    In the Combined Counties Premier Division North, all three of our local sides are in action, with Holyport hosting third placed Windsor & Eton and leaders Burnham on the road at eighth placed Wallingford & Crowmarsh.

    Maidenhead Utd FC

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