On Saturday December 13th Hampton & Richmond Borough welcome Maidenhead United to Beveree Stadium.
The Beavers welcome the Magpies for their first match action since the victory over AFC Totton on December 2nd, as the fixture against Enfield Town was called off after a failed pitch inspection.
It was the only fixture cancelled in the National League South last weekend, and with other teams in action HRBFC dropped back down to 20th but now have a game in hand over the four sides directly above them.
The side will be managed by returning manager Alan Dowson, who was in charge at the Bev from 2014-2018. In his first spell, he won guided the side to an Isthmian Premier Division title as well as an appearance in the National League South playoff final. Dowson sat down with the club on Monday, watch his full interview here.
Maidenhead sit in tenth on 30 points and have been in good league form of late winning, winning their last three games conceding none and scoring 11, including a 0-6 victory away at Salisbury.
They face Reading academy on Tuesday December 9th in the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup quarterfinals.
After being relegated last season, the Magpies returned to the National League South for the first time since 2016-17 when they won the league.
Saturday’s match is also a reunion for club captain Alan Massey who joined the Beavers after a decade at York Road. He was brought to Maidenhead by Alan Devonshire in 2015 and became club captain in 2016, captaining the side for the rest of his career. He is number four in all-time appearance makers for the Magpies.
They have conceded the joint-fewest goals in the league, shipping just seventeen, scoring 29 at the other end, anchored by club captain Will De Havilland at centre back.
At the other end of the pitch, Josh Popoola and Josh Umerah will be ones to look out for.
Popoola was named in the latest NLS team of the week, and the youngster joined Maidenhead after a successful trial period this summer.
Umerah joined from Dagenham & Redbridge after scoring 11 goals last season.
Maidenhead’s latest addition comes in the form of young defender Chanse Headman, who has joined on a month-long loan from Brentford B.
The two clubs last competitive fixture was in a 0-0 in 2017, and HRBFC’s last victory over the Magpies came in 2011.
The team is back at the Bev, Alan Dowson is back, and we hope you’ll be back this weekend to support the lads and pick up where we left off versus Totton. Secure your tickets here!
Up the Beavers,
Jack Lonergan