Magpies’ late rally falls agonisingly short in home defeat to Ebbsfleet

Magpies goalscorer Matt Robinson in action against Ebbsfleet United. Photo: Darren Woolley

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Maidenhead United 2, Ebbsfleet United 3

Maidenhead United finally managed to engage with the task in front of them in the final five minutes of last night’s (Tuesday) 3-2 defeat to Ebbsfleet United, scoring twice in stoppage time to raise genuine hope of the most remarkable comeback.

Trailing 3-0 to the Fleet, with the match entering five minutes of stoppage time, most of the remaining fans inside York Road simply wanted to hear the final whistle.

Hope was rekindled when Liam Dulson cracked home from just inside the area in the 91st minute. A consolation surely. But then Dillon De Silva whipped a cross in from the right. Again, Ebbsfleet didn’t deal with the ball and Matt Robinson was on hand to sweep home a second for the home side.

 With time still left on the clock, the Magpies pressed desperately for a leveller in the dying embers, with Jordi Van Stappershoef coming up for the final corner of the game. From it, Manny Onariase saw his goal bound header pushed away brilliantly by Fleet keeper Matt Hall and Van Stappershoef acrobatically turned the ball over the bar from the rebound.

The final whistle sounded shortly afterwards much to the relief of Ebbsfleet’s supporters, while Maidenhead fans were left to reflect on a perplexing game of football.

The Magpies hadn’t been awful by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, for most of the second half, they’d been the better team. But they were languid and flat in the first half, allowing Fleet to set the tempo, win the 50/50s and generally dictate the match.

They’d fallen behind to a slick move from the visitors with former Magpie Josh Coley nodding Ben Chapman’s brilliant left-wing cross past Jordi Van Stappershoef from close range in the 32nd minute.

Much brighter after the restart - the Magpies should have levelled the match on more than one occasion. But they didn’t.

Josh Umerah stung the palms of Hall in the 46th minute, with Jayden Mitchell-Lawson just failed to turn home the rebound, Hall again saving well with his legs.

 Mitchell-Lawson was involved in the Magpies other big opportunity in the 50th minute, turning a Cochrane cross back into the middle where Asher Yearwood looked certain to score. But he couldn’t bundle the ball home.

Ebbsfleet then countered to brilliant effect in the 63rd minute, Coley breaking clear down the left and teeing up Toby Edser for a smart and clinical finish from the edge of the box. Van Stappershoef - so good for the Magpies of late - was given no chance.

Their third goal came from the penalty spot in the 77th minute, the ball cannoning off Owen Cochrane’s arm from close range and the penalty spot was pointed to - much to the annoyance of the Magpies coaching team who felt they’d been dealt a rough hand all evening. Substitute Kwesi Appiah swept the spot kick high past the Maidenhead keeper to seemingly confirm a second win for Ebbsfleet over Maidenhead this season.

They did eventually see the game out to claim all three points but not before an almighty scare that very nearly saw Maidenhead complete the comeback of this, and many other seasons.

 First Dulson drilled home a low shot from the angle, beating the impressive Hall for the first time that evening.

Liam Dulson takes his tally to 13 for the season

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— Maidenhead United (@MUFCYorkRoad) March 18, 2026

Then, Robinson was on hand to cut the deficit further when he fired home from inside the six-yard box. On the chances created across the game, Maidenhead probably deserved a third goal, and it nearly came from the last play of the game through Onariase - but Hall pulled off a fantastic save to thwart Peters’ side.

 Despite the loss, Maidenhead remain in the play-off spots in seventh, one point above eighth placed Maidstone United.

They’ll lick their wounds over the next few days and look to respond with a much more positive overall display at home to league leaders Dorking Wanderers on Saturday. Win that and this slip up will be quickly forgotten.

"I don't think anybody should be coming to York Road and dictating the intensity of any play - it should be us."

Ryan Peters gives his post-match thoughts following defeat to Ebbsfleet United ️https://t.co/tqwin4VFDZ

— Maidenhead United (@MUFCYorkRoad) March 18, 2026