The first week of the 2005-2006 season finished with City ending up convincing winners over Maidenhead United. As a result, the Lilywhites have now got a maximum return from their first 3 outings and sit proudly at the top of Nationwide South.

Boss Gary Roberts kept the same starting line-up that put 4 past St Albans in midweek, but only named 3 substitutes with Damion Jarrett being retained at Milton Road for Reserve team duty.

Maidenhead were looking to record their first 3 points of the season following an opening day defeat against Sutton United and a 1-1 draw in midweek against 9 man Newport County.

City started the game positively and signalled their intentions of the goal avalanche that was to come as early as the 2nd minute when Paul Booth picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Maidenhead area, but failed to trouble home custodian, Jody Wainwright.

Four minutes later, Maidenhead had their first real meaningful action when a cross by Michael Barima fizzed through the City 6 yard area, but it was City who were having far more possession in these early exchanges, and you could tell that they were looking to up the tempo of the game.

The home keeper has no chance as Lee Chaffey crashes the ball home

On 9 minutes, Craig Dobson showed good skill, and for the first time in the afternoon, the Maidenhead defence knew what a handful he was going to be as he got the better of them and whipped in a cross that Dave Sadler came close to connecting with.

It was a combination of Dobson, Binns and the impressive Moseley who were causing Maidenhead the most problems. So it was no surprise when 4 minutes later Binns produced another telling cross, which had the Maidenhead defence struggling and Paul Booth was there for City, but his header went wide.

With City now bossing the game, Maidenhead were struggling to get any kind of threatening goal mouth action to trouble Ricky Millard, and were being reduced to long range efforts. This was summed up when Solomon Taiwo found space from Midfield on the quarter of an hour mark, but his effort from distance went well wide.

Maidenhead did test Millard with their next attempt when Nathan Stamp unleashed a shot that was saved by City’s new keeper at the second attempt.

As the half progressed, many of the huge following of City fans thought that it was only going to be a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. Corners were being forced following teasing runs from both Binns and Dobson, and the pressure was increasing on the Maidenhead goal.

However, City had to wait until two minutes before the interval for the breakthrough to come. Mark Moseley, playing an instrumental role in midfield, played the ball into the box where Sadler had caught out the home defence with an intelligent late run. With his back to goal, Sadler turned and smashed an un-stoppable shot past Wainwright.

It then took only 2 more minutes for Gary Roberts’ men to take an iron grip on the game with a second goal. Once again, it was Moseley who picked up a loose ball taking on and leaving two defenders floundering. With the rest of the home defence struggling to contain the former Hayes player, he unleashed a shot from outside the area and found the bottom corner of Wainwright’s net.

With City now in complete control, many of the travelling support at half time were discussing whether it would be a repeat of the 5-1 drubbing that City dished out at the same ground last November.

Neither manager made any changes at the interval, and it was Maidenhead, in an attempt to get back in the game, who had the first shot at goal after the break. Robert Traynor latched onto a through ball, but blasted his shot wide of City’s goal.

Jamie Southon's sees his clipped effort sail past the keeper and into the top corner

Dale Binns and Craig Dobson were causing the Maidenhead defence all kinds of trouble and it was no surprise when the two wide men linked up to produce City’s 3rd goal of the afternoon. This time, it was Dobson who found Binns, who showed quick feet to avoid three tackles before surging into the Maidenhead penalty area. With his pace proving too much for the home side, he smashed a shot into the top corner of the net and City were now cruising.

Shortly afterwards, Dave Sadler, who appeared to have picked up a slight knock, made way for Robbie Simpson as Gary Roberts made his first change of the afternoon.

The referee then also got involved for the first time all afternoon, when on 64 minutes a clash between Mark Moseley and Lee Kersey resulted in a booking for the Maidenhead defender.

To their credit, and despite being 3-0 down, Maidenhead kept going and on 71 minutes good link up play between McIntosh and Robert Traynor resulted in the latter forcing Ricky Millard into a good save from a long range effort.

With the game clearly in the bag, Gary Roberts made a second substitution replacing Paul Booth with Lee Chaffey, with Dale Binns moving to partner Robbie Simpson up front.

With Maidenhead chasing the game, there was always a feeling that City would add to their tally. This came on 75 minutes when Jamie Southon found himself in space on the left hand side following a City corner. The left back then produced neat clipped finish that sailed past a stranded Wainwright and into the net for City’s fourth.

Gary Roberts then made another change. Mark Molesley, who had produced yet another inspirational display, was replaced by Richard Scott.

The fifth and final goal of the afternoon came minutes later, when City broke quickly following a home corner. Dale Binns again exploited the home defence with his pace and rolled the ball across the area finding the supporting run of Lee Chaffey. The normally orthodox left back, was in space in the area and smashed City’s final goal of the afternoon past a helpless Wainwright.

The final 10 minutes saw City play out time and complete a very professional away performance, with the vocal travelling support giving the team a fully justified ovation at the end of the game.

Although this game was against perhaps one of the weaker sides in the league, City still had to perform to get a result. It was an excellent day at the office for Gary Roberts’ men, and after the first week of the season, City sit in pole position having scored 12, and conceded just two from their opening 3 games. This is the best possible return from the opening exchanges and will no doubt give the rest of the league something to think about.