McCoulsky and Barratt led Maidenhead to triumph over Fulham’s under-21 squad

Maidenhead United 2, Fulham U21s 0

Maidenhead United secured their third consecutive victory last night (Tuesday) with a 2-0 win over Fulham U21s in their first National League Cup match at York Road.

The Magpies are participating in the inaugural National League Cup, which features 16 National League teams competing against 16 Premier League 2 sides, including clubs like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Maidenhead is part of the southern section of the draw, grouped with Fulham—whom they defeated comfortably—Southampton, Brighton, and National League rivals Aldershot Town, Wealdstone, and Woking. Reading U21s were originally in the group but recently withdrew amid some controversy surrounding the competition.

Despite any off-field issues, Maidenhead made a strong start in the tournament and are aiming to qualify for the knockout stages. The top two teams from each group will progress, with the final scheduled for either Tuesday, April 1, or Wednesday, April 2.

Maidenhead took control of the match late in the first half, thanks to goals from Shawn McCoulsky and Sam Barratt. McCoulsky, in fine form with his third goal in three games, opened the scoring in the 35th minute, finishing a cross from Barratt. Before this, McCoulsky had been denied a penalty and saw other efforts narrowly miss the target.

McCoulsky continued to cause problems for Fulham’s defense, but it was Barratt who added a second just before halftime, driving the ball past goalkeeper Borto from the edge of the area.

Manager Alan Devonshire made seven changes from Saturday’s 2-1 league win over Boston United, rotating the squad for what might be a lower-priority competition this season. Harvey Collins replaced Craig Ross in goal, while Alan Massey partnered Kevin Lokko in defense. McCoulsky and Barratt were two of the four players who kept their place in the lineup.

Devonshire made further changes at halftime, with Will De Havilland, Tristan Abrahams, and Casey Pettit replacing Lokko, Nathan Ferguson, and McCoulsky. Despite some pressure from Fulham in the second half, Collins remained largely untroubled in the Maidenhead goal.

After the match, assistant manager Ryan Peters spoke with Maidenhead’s media officer, Shay Bottomley, reflecting on the win. “It was a mixed performance. Fulham were really good. They’re a terrific academy, but for us, it was all about mentality. It’s another win, a clean sheet, and we’re moving in the right direction,” Peters said.

He praised the team’s consistency, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their winning mentality across all competitions. “Every competition is an opportunity for us to push forward and achieve more.”

Peters also highlighted the contributions of Soul Hale and the academy players who stepped up in the match. “If everyone puts in a shift, the gaffer will be happy.”

Looking ahead, Peters discussed Maidenhead’s FA Cup draw, which sees them travel to step three side Taunton Town on Saturday, October 12. “It will be a tough fixture. Never easy, but we need to maintain the same mentality we’ve had so far. We want to progress in the FA Cup, but we know it won’t be a pushover.”

As in the EFL Trophy, Premier League 2 teams will play all their matches away, with the home team keeping the gate receipts. The National League Cup has a total prize fund of £1 million, provided by the Premier League, with all proceeds going to National League clubs.