Sho-Silva bags a hat-trick as Maidenhead United beat Weston to advance in FA Cup

Daniel Darlington

danield@baylismedia.co.uk

09:08PM, Saturday 14 October 2023

Tobi Sho-Silva. Photo: Maidenhead United

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Weston-Super-Mare 0, Maidenhead United 3

Striker Tobi Sho-Silva scored a hat-trick as Maidenhead United booked their place in the first round of the FA Cup in some style with a 3-0 win at National League South side Weston-Super-Mare.

The Magpies will be ball number 73 in tomorrow's (Sunday) draw after producing one of their most complete performances of the campaign.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Magpies in recent weeks and months, but - having netted twice in last week's 2-2 draw with Rochdale - they went one better in Weston, with Sho-Silva adding to his season's haul with three well-taken strikes.

United battled well in the early stages but struggled to create anything of note until Sho-Silva saw his header well saved by Weston keeper Lee in the 16th minute.

The visitors pressed on and broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when Sho-Silva leapt highest to head home from a corner-kick.

He then scored his second of the game in the 38th minute to hand the Magpies control of the tie heading into the half-time interval.

Lee prevented the Magpies from extending their lead in the early stages of the second half, saving well from Casey Pettit in the 55th minute and Zico Asare in the 59th. The second attempt from the Magpies defender looked to be headed for the top corner until Lee got a hand to it and pushed it over the bar.

Maidenhead stood firm in the final quarter of an hour, putting their bodies on the line to ensure there was no way back into the tie for Weston.

And Sho-Silva made sure he went home with the match ball when he registered his third in injury-time to complete a comfortable away win.

Once again Alan Devonshire's side have progressed to the first-round proper of the competition, and they'll be hoping for a favourable tie as they seek to reach the second round for the first time in 137 years!

The draw will take place live on ITV at 2.30pm on Sunday.

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Ebbsfleet United 2, Slough Town 2

Also in the hat for the first round are Maidenhead’s neighbours Slough Town who managed to force a reply with National League side Ebbsfleet United after a breathless 2-2 draw this afternoon.

Scott Davies' Rebels produced a brilliant away display against higher-level opposition and can count themselves a little unfortunate not to have come away from Ebbsfleet's Kuflink Stadium with victory.

They got off to a perfect start when Dan Bayliss rose highest to head home Matt Lench's corner from the right after only two minutes, and the visitors held onto that lead until the 48th minute when Rohan Luthra spilled a corner from the hosts into his own net under pressure.

It came just a couple of minutes after the Rebels had a huge penalty claim waived away when George Alexander charged through the Fleet defence and into the box before seemingly being brought down.

然而,它被证明是一个小的坎坷的Rebels retook the lead in the 55th minute when Johnny Goddard swept the ball home from inside the area after a left-wing cross was pushed out to him. Dominic Poleon went close for the home side with a close-range effort that flew just wide of Luthra's goal. The nervy spell continued as McQueen drove wide in the 64th minute, while Luthra pulled off a fine save in the 76th minute to preserve the visitors' slender lead.

But the tactic which got Fleet their first goal was employed again in the 80th minute as Luthra was swarmed by Ebbsfleet players from a corner and the ball went straight into the net.

Both sides had moments where they could have won it in the final stages, but a draw was about right on the balance of play and the teams will go at it again in a replay at Arbour Park on Tuesday evening (7.45pm kick-off). Slough will be ball 79 in the draw for tomorrow's first round draw.