Saturday 29th October 2011 // Ryman League Division One // Attendance: 437 // Report by Ruth Tunnell
Early goals from Shaun Welford and Ellis Green took Maidstone United to the top of Ryman One South as they condemned the previous leaders Dulwich Hamlet to their first league defeat of the season.
The Stones were particularly impressive in the first half and they could have gone in at the break with a five goal lead. It took just four minutes for Maidstone to open the scoring when the excellent Michael Phillips sent the ball into the box where it was flicked on and Welford reacted quickly to steer in his 16th goal of the campaign.
Two minutes later Ellis Green’s corner caused a scramble in the box and Maidstone appealed loudly as they thought the ball had crossed the line. However, it came back out to Welford who smashed the ball towards goal and it struck the right hand post.
The Stones continued to dominate and on 11 minutes Baff Addae received the ball with his back to goal and he did well to turn into space and shoot but his effort went wide of the far post.
But just sixty seconds later Maidstone added a second. Alex Flisher played a short corner to Green who expertly chipped the ball over the Dulwich defender to Danny Lye who laid the pass back into Green’s path and this time Green lashed a fabulous finish into the net.
Then on 17 minutes The Stones should have scored again when Sam Bewick’s ball into the box was headed downwards by Welford and both Addae and Flisher looked to gain possession. It was Flisher who took the ball and with the goal at his mercy he shot wide of the left hand post.
It wasn’t until the 24th minute that the visitors finally threatened when Sanchez Ming played the ball to Junior Kadi who crossed into the box and Sol Patterson-Bohner’s header just cleared the bar.
Then with half an hour gone, Flisher had another excellent chance to score when he raced onto a ball over the top and although his shot was on target, he was denied by a superb sliding clearance from Kalvin Morath-Gibbs.
The second half was a much flatter affair and Maidstone had to endure long periods of Dulwich possession although the visitors rarely looked like getting themselves back into the game.
With 49 minutes played, The Stones’ defence got stretched which allowed Peter Adeniyi to get into a good position inside the box but under pressure, he shot wide of the near post.
At the other end, Addae crossed for Flisher who hit a first time volley over the bar and then Dulwich immediately went on the attack through Ming who entered the box and then shot straight at Charlie Mitten.
With nine minutes remaining, The Stones came close to scoring again when substitute James Pinnock exchanged passes with Addae who rolled the ball into the path of Welford and Maidstone striker drove the ball towards goal only for James Tedder to make an impressive one handed save.
There was a scare for the home side on 88 minutes when Kevin James’s free-kick was turned round the post by Mitten and then the final action of the game saw Addae play the ball to Flisher whose rising drive was tipped over by Tedder.
Maidstone United: Shaun Welford 4, Ellis Green 12
Dulwich Hamlet: -
Maidstone United: Charlie Mitten, Sam Bewick, Tom Mills, Gavin Greenfield, Graeme Andrews, Danny Lye, Ellis Green (James Pinnock 67), Michael Phillips (Jay Saunders 76), Shaun Welford (Alex Waugh 90), Baff Addae, Alex Flisher. Subs not used: Karl Knight, James Abraham.
Dulwich Hamlet: James Tedder, Kalvin Morath-Gibbs (Nyren Clunis 53), Dean Carpenter, Peter Adeniyi, Francis Duku (Michael Chambers 45), Lewis Gonsalves, Sanchez Ming, Junior Kadi (Frankie Sawyer 74), Sol Patterson-Bohner, Kevin James, Ethan Pinnock. Subs not used: Omarr Lawson, Charles Ofusu-Hene.
My thanks go out to The Team for giving me the best Birthday present I’ve had for years. Cheers