It wasn’t to be for Maidstone United, as NINE man Yeovil Town held on to complete a smash-and-grab win, and progress into Monday’s draw for the FA Cup Second Round.
Yeovil midfielder Wes Fogden squirted a volley through a crowded penalty area to give the Somerset side the lead on 55 following a rare defensive lapse. But the home side came so close to grabbing an equaliser at the end.
Twelve months ago, Maidstone benefitted from a questionable line call as Frannie Collin thundered home the winning header against Stevenage Borough. Today, the Stones’ luck was out as Alex Akrofi was deemed offside after the ball had been deflected into his path by Yeovil’s Darren Ward.
Stones’ manager, Jay Saunders, who collected the October Manager of the Month award ahead of the game, wasn’t about to believe in karma, but had to smile when reminded about the varying fortunes in football. He admitted “whether we did enough to win, I don’t know, but I didn’t think we deserved to lose it. We hit the post and couldn’t make that breakthrough. I honestly believe that if we’d scored one today, we would go on to win it.”
“They made it difficult with nine men, dropping deeper and closing off the gaps. I thought the boys had a good go, we’ve played better, we’ve played worse this year, but maybe today wasn’t our day.”
“We put some good balls in today, but couldn’t get that final touch. The boys were adamant that the ball had come off the defender first. The replay showed that Alex is maybe a nose ahead of the defender, but it’s hit the defender when Frannie missed it. That’s the way it goes. On another day, it gets given and it’s a different ball game. But it wasn’t to be today.”
“(Lee Worgan) has been apologising in the changing room just now, but we’ve said he’s got nothing to be sorry for. He’s been outstanding for us, and we’ve been very good at defending those situations of late; maybe we could have been tighter when the ball dropped down. Other than that, I can’t remember a shot that Worgs had to save, and that from a League Two side.”
With a new stadium record crowd of 2,811 looking on hoping for an upset against a side rooted to the foot of the Football League, Yeovil left-winger Ryan Dickson had an early freekick from a central position drift wide. But if the visitors were looking to pressurise Maidstone from the start, defender Jakub Sokolik obviously didn’t read the script.
In the 7th minute Sokolik, a former Liverpool reserve, launched into a reckless challenge on halfway, which James Rogers did well to walk away from. The one-footed lunge ignited the crowd, and despite getting a touch on the ball, and his team-mates protests, the referee had no hesitation in sending Sokolik for the long walk back to the changing rooms.
Josh Sheehan attempted a long shot that bounced comfortably into Lee Worgan’s arms, before Maidstone mounted a serious attack of their own. Worgan’s long clearance was helped on by Alex Flisher – returning to the starting line-up for the first time in 11 months – to Alex Osborn. Osborn’s dinked cross from the left cleared Matt Bodkin’s run, and Dickson was able to clear away for a corner.
With Yeovil content to put men behind the ball, Maidstone had time and space to move the ball across the pitch, although they rarely were given the freedom to play more intricate balls in and around the area. Callum Driver’s frustrations got the best of him as he lashed a 35-yard shot high over, and when Flisher was played into the area after a one-two with Jay May, the Stones’ forward could only scuff his shot across goal.
Maidstone’s best chance of the half came on 37, when a trademark Flisher long throw was headed to the edge of the box, where James Rogers fired a left-foot volley that skimmed the roof of the terrace at the Springfield end.
Maidstone’s possession continued into the second half, with Jack Paxman firing a shot wide to the left of the Yeovil goal. But, despite their intent to defend, Yeovil’s players were quick to spot any danger and break up Maidstone’s attacks.
The visitors broke the deadlock on 55, from a rare foray forward. Dickson swung a freekick into the area from midway inside the Maidstone half. Normally so assured, Worgan seemed to be disturbed by a combination of the strong wind and players surrounding him, and couldn’t make a sure connection to his punch. The ball dropped perfectly for Wes Fogden, who put a left-foot volley through the crowded area and into the bottom right corner.
Yeovil’s task was made even harder just three minutes later. There was confusion between right-back Connor Roberts and goalkeeper Artur Krysiak as Tom Mills’ ball forward was allowed to bounce. Alex Osborn nipped in from the blind side of the defender to nick the ball past the keeper, but Osborn was brought down by Krysiak as he tried to break into the area. Again, Mr Bull was left with no option to dismiss Krysiak, reducing Yeovil to nine men. The Stones’ couldn’t take immediate advantage of this as Flisher’s freekick grazed the outside of the right hand upright.
Despite the two man advantage, Maidstone were continually being frustrated in their efforts to work an opening. Flisher flashed a shot over from 20 yards when in a good position to cross, and even when he did deliver a telling cross from the right, Alex Akrofi couldn’t make meaningful contact, with the ball dribbling wide.
10 minutes were left on the clock when a Maidstone player finally won an aerial challenge in the Yeovil area, as Jamie Coyle met Bodkin’s corner, but agonisingly, the ball rebounded from the right hand post.
Then, as the game moved into 5 minutes of stoppage time, came the moment that Maidstone fans believed had levelled the game. Mills swept a curling cross in from the left, and the ball appeared to deflect off Frannie Collin – Jay Saunders would later confirm the TV replays showed it was off Darren Ward – for Akrofi to plant a header home from 3 yards. Cue the change in emotions from joy/relief to disappointment with the realisation that the assistant’s flag had been raised, and the end of Maidstone’s cup run for this season.
MAIDSTONE UNITED: Lee Worgan, Callum Driver, Tom Mills, Jamie Coyle, Manny Parry, James Rogers, Matt Bodkin, Jack Paxman, Jay May (Frannie Collin 73), Alex Osborn (Alex Akrofi 62), Alex Flisher (Adam Birchall 80).
Subs not used: Steve Watt, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Ben Bridle-Card, Mitchell Pinnock.
YEOVIL TOWN: Artur Krysiak (1), Connor Roberts (24), Jakub Sokolik (6), Darren Ward (26), Nathan Smith (3), Wes Fogden (20), Ben Tozer (2), Josh Sheehan (30) (Chris Weale (12) 59), Ryan Dickson (11), Omar Sowunmi (17) (Alex Lacey (21) 17), Ryan Bird (9).
Subs not used: Matt Dolan (4), Shaun Jeffers (10), Iffy Allen (19), Mark Beck (22), Harry Cornick (23).
Goal: Wes Fogden 55.
Booking: Ryan Dickson 24.
Sent Off: Jakub Sokolik 7, Artur Krysiak 58.
Attendance: 2,811
Referee: Mr Michael Bull
Assistants: Mr Thomas Ramsey and Mr Ashvin Degnarian
Fourth Official: Mr Neil Davies