Maidstone United became the first side this season to take all three points off Ebbsfleet United this season and made it five games without defeat, this also could be down to the curse of the Manager of the Month which Daryl McMahon won for September.

Ebbsfleet came into this derby knowing they would still be top whatever the result but in the end probably put in their worst performance of the season but it could be put down to a bad day at the office.

The first half started brightly for Fleet when in the 3^rd minute a ball forward to Danny Kedwell who caused the Maidstone defence confusion and the ball came to Jordan Parkes who from 20 yards saw his volley go just past the post.

A minute later Parkes had another go but again it went past the post. Maidstone’s first half chance of the game came in the 9^th minute when Bobby-Joe Taylor’s corner found Joe Healy but he headed wide from 8 yards.

In the very next minute Matt Godden forced Lee Worgan to make a save. Another chance came in the 17^th minute when Joe Howe’s cross to the back post found Kedwell who cushioned his header down into the path of Matt Fish and his shot from 12 yards was waved by Worgan.

Maidstone had been soaking up the pressure but in the 30^th minute they could have scored when a long ball forward found Jay May who chested it back for Jack Paxman but his shot went high and wide.

Ebbsfleet were now getting frustrated as Maidstone were closing them down and not letting them play their football and then in the 38^th minute the ball bounced around the Ebbsfleet area and fell to Tom Mills whose shot from 20 yards went just over the bar.

Half time arrived and Jay Saunders would probably be the happier of the two managers as Ebbsfleet had probably just shaded the half but nothing to show for it.

The second half started with Maidstone controlling the game and in the 56^th minute they took the lead when Taylor’s free kick on the right 40 yards out was floated to the back post where Healy was and rose and headed past Brandon Hall.

Ebbsfleet had it all to do and for the remainder of the game they attacked Maidstone who themselves relied on breakaways.

In the 63^rd minute Stuart Lewis on the left saw his cross deflect towards the goal forcing Worgan to push it past the post for a corner.

Seven minutes later Robbie Willmott on the left cut in and shot but Worgan saved it. The best chance to get equalise came in the 81^st minute when Godden was 15 yards out on his own but again Worgan saved the day.

In the 86^th minute a Howe free kick into the area found Tom Bonner whose goal bound header was tipped onto the bar by Worgan and cleared.

The game was closing in when Maidstone had the chance to kill the game when Worgan’s long kick saw May flick it on for Alex Akrofi who ran onto it steadied himself but from 8 yards out blasted it over the bar.

In the 3^rd minute of added on time Ebbsfleet nearly equalised when a free kick into the area was half cleared to Danny Haynes on the edge of the area and his shot forced Worgan to tip over the bar and in the last minute of added on time Ebbsfleet thought they had equalised when the ball went into the area and came out to Willmott and his shot hit the back of the net, but the Referee had blown for a foul.

The final whistle went and Maidstone deserved this victory and the Maidstone fans, the team, and the management went wild with delight and the Ebbsfleet crowd and players trooped off disappointed.

Maidstone have got the FA Cup next week to think about while Ebbsfleet have got a week off to sort things out.

 

EBBSFLEET UNITED:

1. HALL 2. M.FISH  3. J.HOWE (87)  4. S.LEWIS  5. K.CLARK  6. T.BONNER  7. D.RANCE  8. J.PARKES (66) 9. D.KEDWELL 10. M.GODDEN  11. J-P KISSOCK (66)

SUBS USED: 15. R.WILLMOTT (66)  16. D.HAYNES (66) 14. A.CUNNINGTON (87)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. A.ACHEAMPONG  13. J.MILES

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. T.MILLS  4. J.COYLE  5. M.PARRY  6. J.PAXMAN (74)  7. M.BODKIN 8. J.HEALY 9. J.MAY 10. A.BIRCHELL (82)  11. B-J TAYLOR (64)

SUBS USED: 14. A.AKROFI (64)  15. J.ROGERS (74)  16. A.FLISHER (82)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. S.WATT  17. B.BRINDLE-CARD

BOOKINGS: 14. A.AKROFI (69)  3. T.MILLS (88)  9. J.MAY (90+2)

 

REFEREE: Mr A.DEGNARAIN

ASSITANTS: Mr. N.DUNN & Mr C.PULLEN

ATTENDANCE: 2,157

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