Tuesday 23rd August 2011 // Ryman League One // Attendance: 372 // Report by Ruth Tunnell.
After Saturday’s disappointing defeat against Whitehawk, Maidstone headed to Whitstable looking to pick up their first points of the season but despite creating numerous chances during the first half in particular, The Stones were beaten once again.
There were a number of familiar faces to the Maidstone fans in the Whitstable line up and two of these combined to put the home side in front with just 120 seconds on the clock. Ashley Ulph pumped a free-kick into the box and Peter Hawkins was allowed to rise unopposed to head the ball into the net.
There after, Maidstone dominated the proceedings and they should have scored a number of times before the break. With four minutes played, a ball over the top from Sam Bewick released Shaun Welford but he could not get a shot in on goal and then sixty seconds later, Alex Flisher met a corner from Ellis Green but Matt Lamprell made a comfortable save.
With 18 minutes played, Green’s corner was cleared off the line before another corner from Green seven minutes later caused panic in the Whitstable defence and Welford’s shot hit the underside of the bar but was then scrambled clear.
Shortly afterwards, Ant Bodle entered the referee’s book after his second robust challenge of the evening and then on 32 minutes, Ulph conceded a free-kick close to the touchline which eventually came back to Green inside the area who scuffed the ball wide despite having plenty of time for his shot.
The Stones’ dominance continued as the break approached and on 42 minutes Welford’s header from a Green corner looked to be heading in until Gary Sayer intervened with an excellent clearance off the line and then Sayer came to Whitstable’s rescue again for the second time inside a minute when he got the ball away from goal following yet another corner from Green.
Three minutes after the restart, a forward pass dropped into the box leaving Welford one on one with Lamprell and the Maidstone striker headed the ball goalwards only for the Whitstable keeper to make a good save and tip Welford’s effort over the bar.
Unfortunately for The Stones though they fell further behind on 57 minutes when their defence got caught out allowing James Simmons to let fly from 20 yards and although the Whitstable player saw his attempt on goal strike the bar, Marvin Okundelaiye was on hand to slam the rebound into the net.
There after, Maidstone never regained the tempo they had shown for the majority of the match although Welford did see an attempt on goal cleared off the line by Sayer on 68 minutes. Apart from this Welford chance though, it was Whitstable who looked the more likely to score and just seconds after The Stones had gone close to pulling a goal back, Tom Mills had to be alert to twice clear the ball from the line to deny Okundelaiye.
Then nine minutes from time, a poor touch from substitute Jimmy Humphris let in Okundelaiye down the right hand side but Humphris did well to stay with the Whitstable player and under pressure, Okundelaiye fired the ball high and wide of the target.
Whitstable: Peter Hawkins 2, Marvin Okundalaiye 57
Maidstone United: -
Whitstable: Matt Lamprell, Gary Sayer, Ashley Ulph, Scott Heard, Steven Lloyd, Peter Hawkins, Marvin Okundelaiye, Ant Bodle (Ryan Benninman 90). Stuart Vahid (84 Dale Davis), Keelan Mooney, James Simmons (Lewis Heard 69). Subs not used: Matt Martin, Giga Zulmatajhvili.
Maidstone United: Charlie Mitten, Tommy Osbourne, Tom Mills, Nick Reeves, Graeme Andrews, Danny Lye (Alex Waugh 63), Ellis Green, Sam Bewick (Baff Addae 63), Shaun Welford, James Pinnock, Alex Flisher (Jimmy Humphris 80). Subs not used: Karl Knight, Peter Gill.
- Matchday Photos by Steve Terrell
- Interview with Jay Saunders
- STONEStv highlights
- Man of The Match Poll
