‘I feel like we deserved it’
Ashley confident of survival after finishing off brilliant move to seal Stones victory
Ashley Nathaniel-George is optimistic Maidenhead United can continue churning out the wins to lift themselves further clear of the National League drop zone, after scoring the winner in Tuesday's 1-0 win at Wealdstone.
The Magpies midfielder - one of the most prolific and dangerous dribblers in the division according to Vanarama stats - ran onto a ball from Sam Beckwith in the area after a lovely build up down the left side of the Stones area.
Taking a touch to steady himself, he clinically curled the ball into the top corner to give the visitors a vital 76th minute lead on a wet and wild evening at Grosvenor Vale.
With Wealdstone having been reduced to 10 men late in the first half after Jack Cook was sent off, the Magpies then closed out the game relatively comfortably for their ninth win of the season, a result that lifts them to 12th in the table and seven points clear of the drop zone.
It's been a good week for NathanielGeorge who also fired the Magpies ahead in Saturday's 1-1 draw at York City, while his eye-catching performances have also seen him earn a place in the Vanarama 'Team of Mid-Week'.
With Gateshead stealing a point from their game against Eastleigh and Dagenham & Redbridge losing to Chesterfield, other results also went their way, enabling the Magpies to climb into the top half of the table.
They won't be contemplating it just yet, but the win also moves them to within eight points of the play-off places ahead of Saturday's clash at Boreham Wood, another team now below them in the National League standings.
Aside from a final day victory over The Wood in the 2020/21 season, when reserve goalkeeper Rhys Lovett came
off the bench as a striker to put the seal on a 4-1 win, the Magpies haven't had the best of records at Meadow
Park in the National League.
Last season The Wood emerged narrow 1-0 winners with Tyrone Marsh getting his name on the scoresheet for the hosts.
Speaking to the Advertiser about his match-winning display against the Stones as well as the club's recent
form, Nathaniel-George said: “I feel like we deserved it.
“In the first 20 minutes, we had a lot of chances that we didn’t take, we made the wrong decisions sometimes. But when they went down to 10 men, I felt like we were patient, we controlled the game as much as possible, and they felt the pressure.
“The message at half-time was ‘do what you’ve been doing in the first half’. We knew we’d create chances with the attacking players we have. They just wanted us to remain patient, keep the ball moving as fast as possible, switch it from side to side and penetrate with runs through the middle. That’s what we did and eventually, we scored.
“Of course [I’m pleased] but that’s what I am in the team to do, provide goals and assists. If I can do that more often then it will be better for everyone.”
Nathaniel-George added: “It’s still tight in the league so a couple of wins can push you up a lot of places.
“Then again, a couple of losses or draws can send you right back down there. Hopefully, we can just keep on picking up wins and putting points on the board.”
“We have Boreham Wood away on Saturday. They are a tough team, especially if they go 1-0 up, they are hard to break down.
“They’re good defensively but we’re in decent form so hopefully, we can go there and get a win.”
Following his recent haul, Nathaniel-George has moved up to second place in the race for the Magpies’ golden boot with five goals. Fellow midfielder Reece Smith is currently in pole position with seven goals, however, with the Magpies having found some form in front of goal of late, several players will fancy their chances of finishing the season as the club's top scorer.
After going to Boreham Wood this Saturday, the Magpies are back on the road on Tuesday when they face a long trip to FC Halifax Town. After a couple of weeks of away trips, they're scheduled to return to York Road on Saturday, February 17, with former Premier League outfit, Oldham Athletic, the visitors.