The points were shared at the Gallagher Stadium as Maidstone’s Jay May equalised Terrell Forbes’ header that had given Dulwich a lead at the interval.

The Stones’ dropped points at home for the first time this season primarily through the outstanding form of Hamlet’s Phil Wilson, who at times was like a green giant in the goal, including saving Frannie Collin’s late penalty.

Maidstone manager, Jay Saunders said he would have taken a point before the game, but added “it feels a bit like a defeat because of the chances we’ve created, a hell of a lot of chances.  The obvious one is Frannie’s penalty, but the keeper has made a lot of saves.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s had a good game, but we’ve put a lot at a good height for him, and we haven’t gambled on other chances.  It’s frustrating that we’ve had the chances to win the game, and they didn’t seem to create much apart from the goal.”

“When you’ve gone through a game like Sunday (the FA Cup game against Stevenage) – and I’m not making excuses – you want to get that first goal to give you a lift.  But going one down, I thought we looked a bit leggy for the rest of the half and lost our way a bit.  We got a good equaliser and had chances.  On another day, Frannie tucks the penalty away and we go on to win the game.”

“They are a good side, taking points off the teams around us, but if you look at the game up to their goal, I don’t know how we’ve not taken the lead.   We’ll take the point though and move on.”

Maidstone started the game the quicker and without the intervention of Phil Wilson, returning to the Hamlet net after injury, could have been out of sight within the first 25 minutes.  Steve Watt had the first chance after just 4 minutes, latching onto Jay May’s knockdown, but Watt’s shot was poked past both Wilson and the right post.

Alex Flisher outmuscled Jordan Hibbert two minutes later, but without support in the middle, chose to take on Wilson; driving his shot into the side netting.  The keeper was being kept on his toes, and had to save smartly twice within seconds as Maidstone’s front four linked well. May and Matt Bodkin released Frannie Collin 30 yards out and his shot was parried by Wilson to his right.  Bodkin had carried on running into the area, and turned Nyren Clunis, who tripped the winger amid cries for a penalty from the crowd, but Bodkin got a shot on target that Wilson turned away low to his left.

Clunis seemed to hold Dulwich’s early threat hitting two shots at Lee Worgan from a tight angle on the right wing, and Kershany Samuels tried his luck from range, but could only find the Town End stand.

On 17, James Rogers thought he’d found a way past Wilson with a pliedriver from outside the box, but the ball hit May as he was getting out of the 6-yard box.  Four minutes later Jamie Coyle was overlapping on the right wing, and directed a deep cross to Flisher.  His cushioned header found Jack Parkinson, who waltzed past Terrell Forbes, but Wilson made another good save to keep the scores level.

Dulwich took the lead on the half hour.  Clunis went on a mazy dribble on the right wing and was appealing for a penalty as his cross appeared to deflect behind off Tom Mills’ arm.  From the corner, Clunis found Ashley Carew, whose shot was parried by Worgan; Kevin James’ shot was blocked by Sonny Miles and as the Stones’ defence tried to push out, Vidal clipped a ball over the back four.  Forbes, running in unmarked, was able to direct a header past Worgan into the bottom corner.

Following the goal, Maidstone seemed to lose a bit of composure and in trying to force a quick equaliser, allowed Dulwich space to counter attack.  Clunis fired another effort wide, and Kevin James forced Worgan into a save from distance.

The second half saw the Stones’ reclaim control of midfield, and the visitors were fortunate to stay ahead in the opening moments.  Bodkin’s left foot shot was to hot for Wilson, so the keeper punched clear rather than attempting to catch, only for Flisher to head goalwards, and see Forbes’ header cannon back off May, but over the bar.

On 52, Collin sent a 35-yard freekick arrowing towards the top left corner, only for Wilson to fly high to tip the ball out for a corner.  The keeper then saved Watt’s diving header with the clearance falling to Bodkin.  The winger’s cross found Miles, whose header was also tipped away by the man in green.

Maidstone found their way past Wilson on 58, as another move with pace split open the Dulwich defence.  James Rogers and Flisher combined to rob Carew on halfway, setting Flisher away towards the area.  Flisher rolled the ball wide left to Collin, whose early cross evaded the winger, but allowed May to steer the ball in at the back post.

Almost immediately, Carew was granted too much space outside the box, but put his effort wide.  Then Clunis wriggled free in the area after a short corner, and drew a save out of a combination of Worgan and the post.

Flisher put a difficult chance wide and Collin fired another curling freekick just past the left post before Wilson came to Dulwich’s rescue again.  Coyle’s long ball from the back put May in behing Ethan Pinnock. May outpaced Forbes into the area, where the defender and keeper collided, but Wilson was able to recover in time to palm the ball away from May’s foot with the goal gaping.

With ten minutes of time remaining, Parkinson played a through ball with the outside of his right foot.  Collin drove into the area and, as he rolled the ball across, was caught late by Forbes.  The ball ran to May, who was denied again by Wilson, only for the referee to pull the game back for the foul.  As the last man, Forbes took the long walk back to the changing room, while Collin stepped up to take the spot kick; Wilson throwing himself full-length to his right to deny the Maidstone striker.

With Dulwich down to 10 men, the game suddenly became stretched, and on 84, the visitors almost stole the points.  Clunis broke across the face of the area past Watt, and his shot back across goal was half stopped low to the right by Worgan, with the recovering Miles hooking the ball away before the line.

Wilson again excelled in stoppage time; making another fine save to deny Flisher, who had been released in the area by May, and then getting off his line quickly to smother a Collin shot after May had flicked Worgan’s long clearance into the box.

MAIDSTONE UNITED: Lee Worgan, Jamie Coyle, Tom Mills, Steve Watt ©, Sonny Miles, James Rogers (Alex Akrofi 85), Matt Bodkin (Ben Greenhalgh 68), Jack Parkinson, Jay May, Frannie Collin, Alex Flisher.
Subs not used: Alex Brown, Phil Starkey, Will Godmon.

Goal: Jay May 58.

Bookings: Steve Watt 28, Alex Flisher 62.

DULWICH HAMLET: Phil Wilson, Jordan Hibbert, Frazer Shaw, Kershany Samuels, Terrell Forbes ©, Ethan Pinnock, Nyren Clunis, Ashley Carew, Omar Koroma (Kareem Boyle 82), Kevin James (Albert Jarrett 68), Xavier Vidal (Michael Kamara 81).
Subs not used: Ibrahim Mansaray, Bagosan Graham.

Goal: Terrell Forbes 30.

Bookings: Nyren Clunis 43, Ashley Carew 51, Kevin James 55, Jordan Hibbert 77.

Sent Off: Terrell Forbes 80.

Attendance: 1,664
Referee: Mr A Ajibola
Assistants: Mr M Barnes and Mr M Marsh