JOURNEYMAN striker Ben Wright, whose 13 goals had a major influence on Eastleigh’s Conference South promotion triumph two seasons ago, ended Blackfield & Langley’s FA Cup dreams 1-0 at Gang Warily.

Now playing for Maidenhead United – remarkably his 20th club – he scored the only goal of a relatively undistinguished tie to put the Magpies into the hat for today’s fourth qualifying round draw, writes Mike Vimpany.

Well shackled by an organised Blackfield defence, Wright posed little threat during long spells of his stay on the pitch.

But, typical of many predatory strikers, once a chance came along – he put it away with aplomb.

Sure enough ten minutes into the second half, when the dangerous Harry Pritchard cut in from the left and set up the opportunity, Wright picked his spot from 15 yards out, drilling a low, near-post shot which struck the base of the upright, hit diving goalkeeper Max Frampton and rolled into the net.

It was his ninth goal of the season and the 104th of a non-League career which began back ten years ago at Camrose Park, when he was a student at the Basingstoke College of Technology, scoring goals galore as his team won the county Sixth Form Colleges League.

A final 1-0 scoreline – which the National League South outfit might have stretched later but for a couple of fine Frampton saves – was just about right.

But it was no consolation to disappointed Blackfield boss Glen Howes, whose side emerged from the tie with credit.

“We’re very despondent. As a whole we deserved a little bit more out of the game,” he said.

“We had two very good chances in the first half and even in the second we created another good one. On another day we could have converted them.

“They are a very strong, powerful side, but we stuck to our game plan, nullified all their threats, but we were hit by a sucker punch.”

Howes was  left to reflect on the ones that got away – a second-minute chance that Rico Wilson might normally have expected to put away and another in the lead-up to half-time when Josh Buck put a header over the bar.

Maidenhead had enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession during the first half, but they were continually frustrated by the Watersiders’ well organised defence.

“Credit where credit is due,” added Howes. “We get little preparation time, but the players listened to their instructions.

“We screened their front two (Wright and Jake Reid), used the width of the pitch and when we went wide we had them worried.”

But those missed Blackfield opportunities – Wilson missed a third chance as they chased the game - came back to haunt them as the Magpies got the one that counted.

Blackfield got a consolatory pat on the back from Alan Devonshire, the former West Ham United player, who manages Maidenhead.

“They made it tough for us as we knew they would. They are a good side with lots of confidence on the back of all the goals they’ve scored this season,” he said.

“It was a potential banana skin for us. It was a big, bumpy pitch, but we came through it unscathed – thanks to Ben Wright!”