Maidstone United’s play-off and promotion aspirations hang in the balance following a 1-1 draw in a hard fought and entertaining game at lowly Enfield Town.
The draw leaves The Stones three points off the play-offs with three games remaining.
The game kicked off 3:07 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster after a well respected and perfectly observed minute silence to remember the 96 who lost their lives that day.
The Stones began positively and after seven minutes Frannie Collin and Zak Attwood linked up well. The latter rounding ‘keeper Noel Imber but in taking the ball a little too wide to the left side of the area he was unable to get a shot on goal.
Moments later in the eighth minute The Stones took the lead. Attwood controlled the ball wide to the left side of penalty area – His low curling cross into the 6yd area found Collin who had the simplest of tap-ins to make it 1-0 in front of their vocal travelling support.
The goal proved to be a wake-up call for the hosts and on twelve minutes tested The Stones’ defence. A free kick on the edge of the penalty area heading low to Lee Worgan’s left corner was cleared by Jack Parkinson and soon after Livings shot straight at Worgan through a crowd of players.
The hosts’ Joe Stevens then blazed high and wide from a good position on the left corner of the penalty area and Livings’ shot through a crowd was again straight at Worgan.
Just after the half hour mark the hosts’ Corey Whitely battled well with The Stones’ Steve Watt on the right edge of the penalty area but his weak mistimed volley was comfortably taken by Worgan.
The Stones had another scare on 34mins when the hosts captain Mark Kirby had a snap-shot from the edge of the penalty area. Worgan was helpless as he could only watch as it fell narrowly wide of his left hand post.
Five minutes before half-time the home side’s pressure was rewarded with the equaliser. The tricky Whitely was needlessly fouled from behind with his back to goal with referee Andrew Fox having no hesitation to award the penalty. Liam Hope stepped up to score into the bottom right hand corner sending Worgan the wrong way – Hope scoring his 100th goal for the club.
The Stones then had the woodwork to thank in first half injury time with Worgan a spectator as he could only watch as Bradley Quinton’s 25yd free kick come crashing off the crossbar.
Six minutes into the second half the hosts’ Hope and Whitely linked up well on The Stones’ right side with Whitely’s shot from close range saved by Worgan – The defence clearing the danger.
Collin found himself centre of attention soon after. His low shot from 10yds out was well saved by the feet of ‘keeper Imber and with the ball still loose in the hosts’ penalty area Collin looked to be fouled on the right edge, the referee waving away The Stones’ claims for a penalty award of their own.
Just before the hour mark The Stones’ Attwood shot weakly at Imber after a swift counter-attack led by Stephen Butcher – The Stones’ No’11 leading the move from the edge of his own penalty and providing the assist to Attwood’s weak effort on goal from 8yds out.
Just after the hour mark Kieran Hughes-Mason could only head straight at Imber from a good position right in front of goal after a good delivery from Tom Mills and soon after Watt’s weak back-header from close-range did little in troubling the increasingly busier ‘keeper Imber.
The hosts almost took the lead with twenty minutes to go but for a good save by Worgan low to his left – The ‘keeper equal to Kirby’s flicked back-header towards goal from a long Mitch Hahn throw-in on the left hand side.
With just over ten minutes to go, the dangerous Whitely forced a great save by Worgan. After good footwork by Livings on the left side of the penalty area, he laid the ball off to an unmarked Whitely whose well struck goal-bound effort was pushed wide and away from danger by The Stones’ ‘keeper.
Moments later Collin blazed over from the edge of the penalty area after a swift counter-attack and good play between him and substitute Jack Harris.
With seven minutes remaining The Stones almost took the lead but for a great save by Imber. Watt’s strong header from only 6yds out was well kept out following a great inviting cross on the right hand side by Elliott Cox.
With five minutes remaining it was the hosts’ turn to waste a great opportunity to bag the three points but Hope could only put the ball over from inside the 6yd area after a wonderful low delivery into the box by Whitely.
In second half injury time Collin had two chances to win the game in quick succession. His two snap-shots from 10yds out were well saved by ‘keeper Imber to keep the game all square.
Off the field The Stones’ promotion hopes continue to be discussed – A meeting is due to take place between The Football Association and The Football Conference to ascertain the legitimacy of The Stones ongoing use of their 3G pitch.
Enfield Town: Imber, Lockie (Campbell, 75), Stevens, Doyle, Kirby ©, Hahn, Smyth, Quinton (Sterling-Parker, 89), Hope, Livings, Whitely
Subs Not Used: White, Illsley, Osei
Goal: Hope 40 (pen)
Maidstone Utd: Worgan, Cox, Mills, Watt, Brown, D. Parkinson (Robertson, 75), Hughes-Mason (Harris, 72), J. Parkinson, Attwood, Collin, Butcher
Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Swift, Godman
Goal: Collin 8
Referee: Mr Andrew Fox
Assistants: Mr Andy Humphries, Mr Wayne Bright
Att; 594