A Jamar Loza hat-trick, his first in senior football, triggered a remarkable Maidstone United comeback to take a vital three points in their search for National League survival, and extend the Stones’ unbeaten run to seven games.
Delano Sam-Yorke, until last week a man on loan at the Gallagher Stadium, controversially opened the scoring in the 13th minute; a lead that was doubled after 25 by Jamie Lucas. Loza got the Stones back into the game after 29 with a breakaway goal, and levelled matters midway through the second half. The forward claimed a hatrick after 76, capitalising on a Woking mistake and Yemi Odubade came off the bench to seal the win with a fourth in the last 10 minutes.
Maidstone opened the game like a side with the confidence of a 6-game unbeaten run behind them, and a reverse ball from Jamar Loza found the overlapping Stuart Lewis on the right side of the area within the first minute. Lewis’ driven cross was agonisingly inches ahead of Alex Flisher’s run and ran to safety.
The visitors were putting dangerous crosses into the Woking box, and pressurising the Cards’ back three. Twumasi’s early ball forward was flicked on by Joe Pigott towards Flisher, but this time Michael Poke was quickly off his line to clear outside his box.
The keeper had to be alert in the 10th minute from the first of Flisher’s long throws. The ball was poorly headed by Terrell Thomas and dropped to Pigott on the penalty spot. The forward hit an overhead kick that was heading towards the top corner, before Poke managed to get a strong left hand up to turn the shot over.
Woking’s early threat was coming from right wing back Jake Caprice, who broke quickly from halfway and crossed early into the box. Arriving late was Kane Ferdinand, who cushioned a right foot volley past Lee Worgan, but fortunately for the Stones, off the outside of the left hand post.
From the corner though, Maidstone couldn’t clear their lines and a ball over the defence from Kieran Murtagh found Delano Sam-Yorke, looking suspiciously offside, and the former Stones’ loanee had time to slide his shot into the right corner. Despite vehement protests from the men in amber, the goal stood, albeit against the run of play.
Woking’s second came from a long Poke freekick towards the Stones’ box. Kevin Lokko appeared to win the initial header against Bristol Rovers loanee, Jamie Lucas, but the ball dropped well for Lucas to get it onto his left foot, and drive a low shot across Worgan, and in off the base of the right post.
If the events had demoralised the visitors, Maidstone didn’t show it, and countered quickly from a Woking corner on 29. Reece Prestedge picked up the ball and drove into the Woking half before finding Loza on the left wing. The forward cut inside Caprice’s weak challenge and fired a shot across Poke into the top right corner.
Both sides were looking shaky defensively in the remainder of the half, and Maidstone were nearly caught out by the wind in stoppage time. Chris Arthur’s high swirling freekick from halfway was blown back out of the area to Murtagh, whose right foot volley screamed just over the bar.
Maidstone’s Lokko had a couple of nervous moments early in the second half, but it was the visitors who had the first opportunity. Flisher’s long throw from the right was flicked goalwards by Pigott, and with both Maidstone players and supporters appealing for the goal, Poke somehow threw himself to his right to claw the ball away from the post before the ball crossed the line.
Sam-Yorke’s physicality, recently such a benefit to Maidstone, was being used to good effect in the right channel, picking up a long ball forward and holding off Jamie Coyle’s challenge. Sam-Yorke’s cross to the near post was met by substitute Chigozie Ugwu, but bounced wide of the right post.
Having ridden their luck somewhat in the opening 20 minutes of the half, Maidstone levelled on 67, once again, Loza the man to find the net. A long Worgan freekick was flicked by Pigott to Flisher’s feet inside the box. Flisher rolled a pass to the left side where Loza drilled a low shot through the legs of Poke. Jay Saunders was one of the first off the bench leaping in celebration.
With their tails now up, Maidstone threw ball after ball into the Woking box – Pigott had a half-hearted penalty appeal waved away – but the pressure finally told after 76 minutes. Reece Prestedge swung a freekick into the box from the left which was headed up into the air by Brian Saah. The dropping ball was sliced by Caprice to that man Loza, who swivelled and powered his shot in off Poke to claim the match ball.
Woking tried to hit back immediately, as Zak Ansah’s crossfield ball was misjudged by the Stones’ defence, allowing Sam-Yorke to drill a low cross towards the right post. Ugwu was quickly onto the cross but Worgan was down at his feet to smother the shot.
With 9 minutes left, Maidstone found a fourth goal. Seth Twumasi’s high, hanging cross found its way through to Flisher on the left. The winger skipped past Joey Jones and played a low cross into the middle to Yemi Odubade, who turned and slid a low shot into the bottom right corner.
Woking were becoming desperate in their attempts to get back into the game. Terrell Thomas had a wild shot from the edge of the box that flew into the stand behind Worgan’s goal, and whenever a ball was lifted into the area, there always seemed to be an amber shirt on the end of it.
WOKING: 1- Michael Poke; 2- Jake Caprice (10- Zak Ansah 79), 3- Terrell Thomas, 5- Brian Saah, 6- Ismail Yakubu (14- Fabio Saraiva 66), 26- Chris Arthur; 4- Joey Jones, 8- Kieran Murtagh, 22- Kane Ferdinand; 17- Delano Sam-Yorke, 25- Jamie Lucas (9- Chigozie Ugwo 57).
Subs not used: 18- Brandon Hall, 12- Charlie Carter.
Goals: Delano Sam-Yorke 13, Jamie Lucas 25
Cautions: Jake Caprice 55
MAIDSTONE UNITED: 1- Lee Worgan; 22 Seth-Nana Twumasi, 4- Jamie Coyle, 5- Kevin Lokko, 3- Tom Mills; 10- Jack Paxman (23- Yemi Odubade 66), 8- Stuart Lewis, 14- Reece Prestedge, 11- Alex Flisher; 25- Jamar Loza (21- Harry Phipps 84), 32- Joe Pigott (9- George Oakley 90+3).
Subs not used: 16- Bobby-Joe Taylor, 24 – Magnus Okouonghae.
Goals: Jamar Loza 29, 67 & 76, Yemi Odubade 81
Cautions: Reece Prestedge 54
Attendance: 2,088 (603 away)
Referee: Mr Craig Hicks
Assistants: Mr Paul Evans and Mr Phil Lister
Fourth Official: Mr Craig Green