Maidstone United lost ground in their promotion push with another home Tuesday defeat.

This time Whitehawk came away with the points deservedly as their incredible few days continued with a fine performance & moved up to third place closing the gap on  Maidstone.

The game took a while to get going but Whitehawk were the team on top & in the 15^th minute a long ball into the area saw Danny Mills latch onto it & his goal bound shot was deflected for a corner.

Maidstone were relying on scraps & in the 23^rd minute they nearly took the lead against the run of play when Matt Bodkin’s corner found Manny Parry but his header went just past the post.  Six minutes later Arnaud Mendy on the edge of the area threaded the ball through for Jake Robinson & his shot was deflected for a corner.

Another half chance came in the 32^nd minute when David Ijaha running forward from halfway tried his luck from 25 yards but saw his shot go wide. Maidstone were by now playing second fiddle but in the 37^th minute they could or maybe should have hit the target & if they did they could have scored when Frannie Collin chased a lost cause got to it just before it went out for a goal kick turned back & laid the ball into the path of Joe Healy but he ballooned his shot over the bar.

In the third minute of added on time Whitehawk took the lead when David Martin on the left side 20 yards out cut inside & his curling shot went into the top right hand corner, what a time to score, Maidstone only had time to take the restart when the whistle went.

Again the second half carried on with Whitehawk dominating play & in the 48^th minute Robinson on the edge of the area saw his shot easily saved by Lee Worgan. Maidstone were again relying on scraps & the only way they were going to score was from set plays & in the 59^th minute a free kick into the Whitehawk area found Healy on the back post & his low cross shot was cleared.

Four minutes later Craig Braham-Barrett received the ball on the left cut inside & tried his luck from 20 yards but it went over the bar. In the 71^st minute out of nothing Maidstone nearly equalised when May on halfway passed square to Alex Brown who from 30 yards let fly forcing Craig Ross to tip his shot over the bar.

Three minutes later Sam Deering on the right passed to Robinson in the area & his shot went just past the post. Maidstone were now throwing everything at Whitehawk trying to get an equaliser but the Hawks stayed resilient & held out although Maidstone had two great chances, firstly in the 88^th minute a free kick into the area was half cleared to May whose shot from 20 yards went through a crowd of players but went past the post & then in the 6^th minute off added on time Alex Flisher on the left cut in& from 15 yards let fly beating Ross but not the post.

The final whistle went & the Maidstone players trooped off the pitch knowing they were second best most of the game.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. T.MILLS   4. J.COYLE  5. M.PARRY  6. J.PAXMAN (65)  7. M.BODKIN (56)  8. J.HEALY 9. J.MAY 10. F.COLLIN (56)   11. A.FLISHER

SUBS USED: 12. J.ROGERS (56) 14. A.AKROFI (56)  15. A.BROWN (65)

SUBS NOT USED: 16. A.BIRCHALL   17. B-J. TAYLOR

BOOKINGS: 11. A.FLISHER (68)

 

WHITEHAWK:

1. ROSS 2. C.SESSEGNON  3. C.BRAHAM-BARRETT  4. D.IJAHA (77)  5. J.ROSE  6.  J.CRUZ GOTTA  7. S.DEERING 8. A.MENDY 9. J.ROBINSON  10. D.MILLS  11. D.MARTIN

SUBS USED: 15. S.NIELSON (77)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. D.STEVENS  14. N.ARNOLD  16. J.HAWKINS

BOOKINGS: 7. S.DEERING (86)

 

REFEREE:  Mr I.RATHBONE

ASSISTANTS:  Mr A.BLAKE & Mr T.GREAVES

ATTENDANCE: 1,743