At risk of relegation from the National League, Maidenhead United are set to host Aldershot Town at York Road on Tuesday.
The Magpies will be hoping to build on their win last time out, while the Shots are looking to make it six wins from eight in midweek.
Match preview
![Maidenhead United manager Alan Devonshire during the FA Cup match between Oxford United and Maidenhead United at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford, England on November 4, 2023 [on August 18, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/33/alan-devonshire.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Maidenhead United manager Alan Devonshire during the FA Cup match between Oxford United and Maidenhead United at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford, England on November 4, 2023 [on August 18, 2024]")
© Imago
Alan Devonshire's Maidenhead have been in particularly poor form in recent weeks and were on a five-game winless run that featured four losses until last weekend.
On Saturday, the Magpies beat promotion candidates Gateshead 2-0 away from home thanks to goals from Manny Onarise and Shawn McClousky, though it must be noted that their opponents have also been uncharacteristically struggling over the past month.
Regardless, that win lifted Devonshire's side out of the relegation zone, and they are now 19th in the table ahead of their midweek clash, but they are still only one point in front of survival rivals Dagenham & Redbridge, Wealdstone and Fylde.
Concerningly for the hosts, they have only avoided defeat in one of their last five home games across all competitions, and fans will hope that the team's triumph over Gateshead can inspire them to rediscover the type of home form that brought them four wins from their five matches at York Road around the turn of the year.
An unlikely three points on Tuesday would see Maidenhead remain 19th in any case but could give them a four-point cushion from the threat of demotion should results elsewhere prove favourable.
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Meanwhile, Tommy Widdrington's Aldershot have only tasted defeat on one occasion over the past month, winning five and drawing one of their seven fixtures in that stretch.
Last time out, the Shots travelled to playoff hopefuls Altrincham and walked away with maximum points in an impressive 2-1 win.
With Braintree Town and Woking both losing their most recent games, Widdrington's men were able to climb up to 16th with that victory, expanding the gap between themselves and the drop zone to 10 points in the process.
The visitors will feel confident of repeating the weekend's result against Maidenhead, but it is important to highlight that it was just their third National League win on the road this season and it remains to be seen whether the three wins they took from their last five away matches represents a stable and consistent improvement.
Looking to be the favourites, another three points on Tuesday would theoretically be enough for Aldershot to leapfrog Yeovil Town and Hartlepool United on goal difference.
Team News
© Imago
Maidenhead fans can expect to see last weekend's goalscorer Shawn McClousky and Tristan Abrahams out wide in midweek, where they will provide support for striker Kane Ferdinand.
In the backline, fellow scorer Manny Onarise should start alongside Remy Clerima and William De Havilland, with Owen Cochrane and Thierry Latty-Fairweather as wing-backs.
As for Aldershot, Ryan Jones will feature behind a strike partnership of Jack Barham and Joshua Barrett.
Elsewhere, Keane Anderson and Cameron Hargreaves are likely to patrol the middle third, flanked by attacking full-backs Tyler Frost and Adam Jones.
Maidenhead United possible starting lineup:
Ross; Cochrane, De Havilland, Clerima, Onariase, Latty-Fairweather; McClousky, Pettit, Ferguson, Abrahams; Ferdinand
Aldershot Town possible starting lineup:
Dewhurst; Armitage, Ellison, Woodhouse; A Jones, Anderson, Hargreaves, Frost; R Jones; Barham, Barrett
We say: Maidenhead United 1-2 Aldershot Town
Maidenhead have been in shocking form in recent weeks, but their win last time out and the threat of relegation being so close could cause them to make this match a close-fought contest.
That being said, Aldershot have been impressive lately, and their momentum should see them emerge with all three points against a struggling side on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
