Maidstone United lost their first home game since August Bank Holiday against a spirited strong & physical Maidenhead side.

The first half was very lacklustre on Maidstone’s side but Maidenhead came & did a job & deserved their half time lead.

The game was only six minutes old when Jake Reid was put through into the area but his shot was saved by Birthday Boy Lee Worgan’s legs, then six minutes later Maidstone should have taken the lead if Alex Akrofi had been a little more relaxed as Alex Flisher put in through & he raced onto the ball & saw Carl Pentney come out but instead of going round him he decided to chip him but the ball went wide of the post.

Maidenhead were now getting confident & in the 21^st minute nice work down the left wing saw Ben Wright receive the ball in the area on his own & but his shot went high & wide. Maidenhead took the lead in the 25^th minute when James Mulley went speeding past Callum Driver into the area where Driver trying to get him pushed him over & a penalty was given, up stepped Reid who blasted it into the bottom left hand corner.

In the 33^rd minute Maidstone had a wonderful chance to equalise when Akrofi running at the defenders slipped the ball wide for Bobby-Joe Taylor on the left & his low cross found Flisher 8 yards out but he ballooned his shot over the bar. As half time was nearing Maidenhead increased their lead in the first minute off added on time when Reid in the area was found with a great ball & he controlled it & went round Worgan & slid the ball into the empty net.

The half time whistle went & both managers would have different team talks after that goal, Alan Devonshire would be saying more of the same please whilst Jay Saunders would have laid into his team & asked for more effort.

The second half was only two minutes old when Maidstone should have got a goal back when Taylor on the left saw his low cross palmed away by Pentney but only to Matt Bodkin  (who had only been on for two minutes) but from 6 yards is shot went agonisingly wide.

Another chance came Maidstone’s way in the 51^st minute when Flisher passed to Akrofi who laid the ball into the path of Taylor in the area & his shot was saved by Pentney’s legs. In the 62^nd minute another chance came when Flisher’s long throw was punched clear by Pentney but only to Bodkin who chipped straight away to the back post where Akrofi was & his header forced Pentney to tip it over the bar.

Maidstone were now having all the possession but just couldn’t find the back of the net whilst Maidenhead were defending & relying on breakaways. In the 74^th minute Bodkin on the left pushed the ball forward for Tom Mills & his cross found Frannie Collin whose deft little header forced Pentney to save at his left hand post.

More chances were coming Maidstone’s way but it seemed it wasn’t going to be their night as in the 81^st minute a long ball forward found Flisher & his first time shot from 25 yards out sailed over the bar, two minutes later Bodkin on the right crossed to the back post for Flisher whose volley went over the bar.

With time running out Maidstone got a lifeline when in the 85^th another long ball forward found Flisher who went into the area & was fouled by Ryan Peters, penalty was given & up stepped Collin who coolly shot into the bottom right hand corner.

The last minutes were like the Alamo as Maidstone strived to get an equaliser, in the 89^th minute Charles Banyo latched onto a long ball forward from Worgan but his first time shot was saved by Pentney & in the second minute of added on time a long throw by Flisher into the area found Collin whose acrobatic overhead kick was saved again by Pentney.

The final whistle went & Maidstone had missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Ebbsfleet.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. T.MILLS  4. J.COYLE  5. M.PARRY  6. J.PAXMAN  7. A.FLISHER  8. J.HEALY 9. A.AKROFI (68) 10. A.BIRCHALL (45)  11. B-J TAYLOR (59)

SUBS USED: 16. M.BODKIN (45) 14. F.COLLIN (59)  15. C.BANYA (68)

SUBS NOT USED;  12. A.BROWN  17. J.ROGERS

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

MAIDENHEAD UNITED:

1. PENTNEY 2. R.PETERS  3. C.SMITH  4. R. UPWARD  5. M.NISBIT  6. D.INMAN  7. J.HUGGINS  8. J.MULLEY (65) 9. J.REID 10. B.WRIGHT (44)  11. H.PRITCHARD

SUBS USED: 14. G.JAMES  12. S.BARRETT (65)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. D.TARPEY  16. K.FORBES  17. K.WILTSHIRE

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

REFEREE: Mr C.POLLARD

ASSISTANTS: Mr M.ROBINSON-TANT & Mr A.POPE

ATTENDANCE: 1,731