Give the FA Cup to Scott Davies, Maidenhead Town’s ‘incredible’ comeback and the benefit of positive PR

The briefing is back with a look at all the things you might have missed across the weekend’s action. From Slough Town’s late FA Cup win to a first win of the season for Wokingham Town Women.

FA Cup: Good things start with Scott Davies

A nonchalant raking cross-field pass, a lay-off between the wingers and the quick feet of Jaiden Drakes-Thomas may have won the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie for Slough Town, but it was a move that started with Player/Manager Scott Davies – as good things for the Rebels often do.

It may have been a slightly rocky start to the season in the Enterprise National League South, but there is clear faith in a manager who can clearly still contribute on the pitch, and a second FA Cup First Round appearance in two seasons is not to be sniffed at.

Roll on the First Round draw, which includes the the EFL League One and Two sides.

Can’t stop watching it 🥹

📹 @fc_video #OneSlough pic.twitter.com/Bs2w6c3Xlj

— Slough Town FC (@sloughtownfc) October 12, 2025

Maidenhead United fans getting used to that winning feeling

It’s a curious thing with Maidenhead United. The club spent eight years at the top-tier of non-league football, often enjoying long unbeaten runs, followed by long beaten runs and staying up by the skin of their teeth.

All of it administered by long-serving manager, former West Ham United and England forward (and a very amenable fella having interviewed him in the summer) Alan Devonshire.

The club did not panic in the summer following relegation, nor after the opening day defeat to Chesham United and Devonshire remains the man in charge of it all. Of course, that also means there are two opinions on the team and you are either ‘Devonshire Out’, or ‘Devonshire In’ in the court of public opinion that is the Maidenhead United Facebook group.

Right now, there’s little to grumble about – which is often a difficult concept for us football fans to get our heads around.

The Magpies have won their last six games in the league, they’ve scored 15 which doesn’t feel a lot (the division average is 13) but they aren’t conceding either – only Hemel Hempstead Town have conceded less than Maidenhead’s eight, average crowds are a shade over 1,000 and the club itself has released an impressive community impact document which is worth a read here – particularly the impressive increase in women and girls participation which will only help grow the clubs fanbase.

Talking of positive PR – Windsor & Eton

Another club that is making a mark in its community is Windsor & Eton. The Royalist are working toward install an artificial surface at Stag Meadow.

A long held ambition by many involved with the clubs that have called the famous old ground home over the last decade, the club are on a positive PR mission to show the new pitch won’t be a negative impact on its neighbours.

As if to highlight this, the club’s new parking arrangements were put under a strenuous test at the weekend with a crowd of just under 400 for the 2-1 win over former tenants Virginia Water – it would seem this test was passed.

Windsor’s aim to install an artificial surface has come under some local pressure, so it’s great to see the club engaging positively because, like or loath the type of surface, it remains the most sustainable direction of travel for grassroots football clubs.

Read more about Windsor & Eton’s artificial pitch aims here.

Wokingham Town Women post first win

Five games in to the season and Wokingham Town have their first win. A 5-1 victory at Wargrave in the Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League Division Three South thanks to a hat-trick from Ella Traynor Smith and a brace from Milanna Betsy. Alison Richardson was on target for the home side.

With a raft of cup games early on in the TVCWFL – like most leagues – sometimes it can take a little time to get going, especially when levels of opposition vary greatly in those cup draws. Just file this one under ‘things we love to see’.

Maidenhead Town’s astonishing comeback

The Thames Valley Premier League promotion hopefuls were dead and buried in their Charles Twelftree Trophy match at home to Reading YMCA with 85 minutes gone.

The Blues were 4-1 down until Joe Park “flipped the game on its head” struck twice and Mitchell Burley sensationally levelled late in the game.

Shellshock for YMCA whose manager Steve Melledew – winner of this competition with Burghfield two seasons ago – saying: “It’s been a very long time being Gaffa that I have been on the end of a defeat like that. You boys did something remarkable today.”

Town went on to win the penalty shootout 4-3 despite missing their first spot kick.

And sticking with the cup, Newbury Town came home from Britwell with a 3-1 to advance to the next round.

Ascot United Women first home defeat ‘in years’

It’s been three and a half years since Ascot United Women were beaten at home in the league. The clubs ascension to the FA Women’s National League meant that record was always going to be in some jeopardy with the increased level of competition.

The Yellas have drawn with Moneyfields and beaten Portishead Town at home in the league this season but the record fell when Bridgwater United breached the Racecourse Ground defences to win 3-0.

It will be a quick recovery for the Yellas who are at Chesham United next in the League Cup before hosting Reading FC Women in the County Cup.

The Neal Jeffs match report is here.

Woodley United continue to fly high

It’s been suggested to me that Woodley would like to keep flying under the radar. However if Jordan Blake’s men keep winning they are soon going to be unavoidable.

It remains a remarkable turnaround for the Kestrels who – we may have mentioned once or twice – spent just one matchday outside the relegation zone last season.

Blake’s side are second in the Combined Counties League Division One and are yet to lose this season. They are just a point behind leaders PFC Victoria London who they beat on Saturday and have played two games less.

A repeat of 2017? It’s too early to make that kind of statement. It’s not often either a team at Step 6 goes unbeaten in a season, just the nature of the number of games and player workloads on and off the pitch sees to that.

What I will say with certainty, though is that Woodley United are in no danger of going down this season.

Related: Woodley United’s turnaround is down to ‘outstanding mentality’