Wednesday 9th November 2011 // Ryman League Division One // Attendance: 317 // Report by Ruth Tunnell
In the battle between two of Ryman One South’s in-form teams Maidstone United overcame Godalming Town but The Stones rode their luck at times in an exciting game at Bourne Park.
The match started at a bright tempo and on five minutes Shaun Welford drove forward and picked out Ellis Green inside the Godalming area. Green struck a side-footed effort goalwards but his shot was cleared off the line.
The Stones then had a couple of half chances before Godalming took the lead on nine minutes when a mistake from Tom Mills gifted the impressive Darren Wheeler possession and his strong drive flew past Charlie Mitten.
Maidstone tried to respond quickly but it was the visitors who came close to doubling their lead on 17 minutes when a long pass over the top caught out Graeme Andrews and Scott Harris latched onto the ball only to put his effort wide of the right hand post.
Ryan Lake then went close with a free-kick for Godalming before Maidstone equalised on 29 minutes when a corner from Green was met by Alex Waugh and he headed the ball into the net.
Six minutes later, The Stones scored again with a nicely worked goal. Waugh flicked a header into the path of Mills who ran down the left and pulled the ball back to Waugh and he thumped in his sixth goal of the season.
Shortly afterwards, Janie McClure caused problems in the Maidstone box when he did well to latch onto a ball that dropped over his shoulder and he shot towards the near post but Mitten made a good block with his chest.
Then on 51 minutes Green passed to Sam Bewick who sent a deep cross into the box where it was met by the unmarked Welford whose header struck the post. However, The Stones did extend their lead with 57 minutes played when Flisher went on a surging run down the left which took him into the box before he smashed in sixth goal of the season.
Godalming then pushed hard to get back into the game and on 66 minutes Mills got a crucial touch to deflect a shot from McClure wide and then seven minutes later, Lake picked out Brett Cooper who drove the ball towards the near post only for Mitten to tip the ball over the bar.
The visitor’s persistance finally paid off on 74 minutes when a corner from Wheeler resulted in a goalmouth scramble and Harris was on hand to bundle the ball in from close range.
Then just two minutes later, there was a scare for The Stones when Harris’ corner was headed towards goal by Adam Foulser and it had appeared that the ball had crossed the line before Bewick got it clear but the referee, who was in a good position, refused to entertain Godalming’s appeals for a goal.
With Mitten in goal clearly struggling with an injury, Maidstone had been under pressure for a spell but they managed to see out the remaining minutes in a more comfortable manner after they introduced Tommy Osborne and Baff Addae.
With ten minutes to go, a great diagonal ball from Saunders picked out Flisher who forced Lee Pearce in the Godalming goal into a good save with his legs. Then sixty seconds later, a header from Welford deflected just wide before substitute Addae had a shot cleared away from close to the line.
Maidstone kept pushing for another goal and on 86 minutes a great challenge from substitute Osborne saw him win the ball in midfield and the move ended with Addae crossing for Flisher who headed wide.
At the other end, Harris had an opportunity to equalise in stoppage time but Maidstone made sure of the victory with three minutes of added time played when Addae’s shot was blocked by Pearce but the rebound dropped to Welford who headed in his second goal in as many games.
Maidstone United: Alex Waugh 29, 35, Alex Flisher 57, Shaun Welford 90
Godalming Town: Darren Wheeler 9, Scott Harris 74
Maidstone United: Charlie Mitten, Sam Bewick, Tom Mills, Danny Lye, Graeme Andrews, Michael Phillips, Ellis Green (Tommy Osborne 81), Jay Saunders, Shaun Welford, Alex Waugh (Baff Addae 78), Alex Flisher. Subs not used: Karl Knight, James Pinnock, James Abraham.
Godalming Town: Lee Pearce, Guy Hollis, Ryan Lake, Antonio Simeone (Damien Smith 87), Adam Foulser, Brett Cooper, George Short (Gavin Smith 68), Janie McClure, Scott Harris, Darren Wheeler, Jon Palmer (Wes Harrison 65). Subs not used: Jon Underwood.
