Wrexham AFC 0 Maidenhead United 1

The Reds, playing 24 hours earlier than the other fixtures because the game was being screened live on television, knew three points would take them level at the summit with the leaders.

But Dean Keates' side were unable to build on Saturday's excellent 1-0 win at Yeovil as they went down to a Maidenhead side who arrived in north Wales pointless after losing their opening three games.

It was a big blow to lose and Wrexham will be disappointed they did not get at least a draw.

Although they trailed at the break, Wrexham were much the better side in the second half and created some good chances to get back on level terms.

But the goal never came and Wrexham continued the theme of losing after picking up a win in their opening four outings this season.

Keates made two changes from the side that won at Yeovil 48 hours earlier.

Elliott Durrell and Jordan Ponticelli - handed a first start of the season - came in for Anthony Jeffrey, who was missing through injury, and Paul Rutherford.

There was also a place on the substitutes bench for Adi Yussuf who recovered from a groin injury sustained in the opening day victory against Boreham Wood.

Having favoured a 4-1-4-1 formation for the previous two matches, Keates switched to a 4-1-2-3 system with Durrell and Ponticelli joining Kwame Thomas in the front three.

Both teams cancelled each other in the early exchanges and there wasn't an opportunity of note at either end in the opening quarter of an hour.

Jordan Davies saw his goalbound effort blocked by defender Remy Clerima after goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond punched Jamie Reckord's cross as far as the edge of the box.

Wrexham were starting to look more dangerous and Luke Young struck the top of the crossbar with a 25 yard free-kick while Ponticelli fired narrowly wide from a Kwame Thomas cross but the striker was in an offside position.

But the Reds needed Rob Lainton to keep them on level terms, the goalkeeper making a smart save to deny Shaun Donnellan.

However, midfielder Donnellan played a key role as Maidenhead took a 33rd minute lead.

He sent in a teasing cross from the right and Josh Coley headed past Lainton.

Wrexham responded with a Ponticelli shot across the face of goal from an acute angle but Maidenhead came close to a second goal in added time, an unmarked Ryan Upward heading narrowly wide from Coley's corner.

A Remy Clerima header was saved by Lainton at the start of the second half after Wrexham failed to clear a corner.

There was an encouraging sign for Wrexham when Ponticelli played in Durrell who delivered the ball across goal for Thomas whose header fell wide.

However, there was a let-up for Wrexham when Theo Vassell played the ball back to Lainton who contested a 50-50 ball with Donnellan and it ran out of play off the midfielder for a corner.

Back came Wrexham and Ponticelli had a good chance but he steered his effort wide from Young's centre.

Keates made a double change on 63 minutes with Paul Rutherford and Yussuf replacing captain Jay Harris and Thomas.

There was more pressure from Wrexham as Durrell's drive was saved by Ashby-Hammond while Ponticelli had a shot blocked by a defender and then the goalkeeper after being picked out by Yussuf.

Wrexham thought they had equalised in the 80th minute when Ponticelli smashed the ball home from Yussuf's lay-off but the goal was ruled out for offside.

And in added time, Fiacre Kelleher's header appeared to hit a hand and the ball fell wide but the referee only awarded a corner.

That was as close as Wrexham came to levelling and Maidenhead celebrated victory.

Wrexham (4-1-2-3): Lainton; Hall-Johnson, Kelleher, Vassell, Reckord; Davies; Harris (Rutherford 63), Young; Ponticelli, Thomas (Yussuf 63), Durrell. Subs: Dibble, Horsfield, Jarvis.

Maidenhead United (4-4-2): Ashby-Hammond; Clerima, Parry, Massey, Wells; Coley (Sparkes 83), Comley. Donnellan (Ofori-Twumasi 64), Upward; Blissett (Orsi-Dadomo 46), Blissett. Subs: Wiltshire, Smile.

Referee: Simon Mather.