26 December 2011 // Ryman League Division One South // Report by Sam Bunn // Attendance: 347
A second half revival and late goals from Graeme Andrews and Alex Waugh saw Maidstone United snatch a 2-1 victory against Corinthian-Casuals.
Saheed Sankou’s rising strike gave Corinthian a one-nil lead going in to half time, however two goals in the final quarter of the game saw Maidstone grab all three points. It was Maidstone’s first win in the league in six games, and although the result was no doubt morale-boosting, it also can not be ignored that Jay Saunders’ side once again flattered to deceive in the first half, and the player-manager will know that plenty of improvements are still needed if the club are to rise back to the highest echelons of the league.
Maidstone started the brighter of the two sides, with Waugh, Alex Flisher and Ellis Green all having half-chances, but soon enough Corinthian soon got a firm foothold in the game and nearly drew first blood when Gavin Quintyre’s deflected shot was sliced behind by Andrews. Jamel Carr then drew a good save from Daren Hawkes, and then from the resulting corner Tommy Osborne had to clear an unmarked Joe Hicks header from the goal line.
Hawkes was then once again called into action, this time by Steve Barilli, and the youngster thwarted the Casuals striker with a marvellous double save; the first a nimble block with his legs, the second a superb, sprawling dive high to his left.
If Maidstone had been lucky to have Hawkes playing his best game since joining on loan from Gillingham, they could count themselves just as lucky that referee Ian Bentley, after consulting his assistant, only saw fit to caution Lee Gledhill, whose outstretched arm denied the on-rushing Barilli a run at goal and perhaps a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Corinthian, to their credit and perhaps perfectly embodying their ethos of sportsmanship and fair play, did not complain with Bentley’s decision and instead went about taking the lead from the free kick given for Gledhill’s misdemeanour. Matt Ellis floated the ball in deep from the right, and Danny Lye could only clear the ball into the path of Saheed Sankou who cut inside, easily passing the exposed Tommy Osborne, and smashed the ball past a helpless Hawkes into the top of the net.
It was a fully deserved opening goal for Corinthian, and despite Maidstone briefly rallying with an Andrews header forcing Adam Peck into a good save, the Stones fans went for their half-time pint with a sinking feeling that had become all too familiar over the last few weeks.
The Maidstone players, to their credit, and no doubt with Jay Saunders’ frank appraisal of their first half performance ringing in their ears, came out for the second half with the sort of vigour and intent that had been previously lacking. For the first time in the game Green took a running start at Casuals left back Ellis, easily passing him before crossing to Bewick whose shot was palmed behind by Peck. Waugh then went agonisingly close to touching home a sumptuous Tom Mills cross, and substitute James Pinnock saw his shot comfortably saved. At the other end Sankou’s looping half volley was tipped over by Hawkes, who was otherwise largely untroubled in the second half.
Then what followed was one of the more bizarre incidents you are likely to see at Bourne Park this season. Flisher flung a long throw into the heart of the Corinthian penalty area, and despite a deluge of bodies all throwing themselves at it, the ball seemingly evaded a touch of any sort before nestling into the net. Referee Bentley awarded a goal kick, indeed the correct decision if nobody touches the ball between the throw being taken and the ball crossing the goal line, although perhaps unsurprisingly those clad in amber were sure they saw a touch in there somewhere.
However Maidstone were not to be denied again when Flisher’s free kick was whipped precisely into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ and Andrews bundled the ball home at the back post. It was a deserved goal for the former Welling man, who Jay Saunders described as having his best game for the club thus far.
Maidstone’s winner, which came six minutes from time, will certainly miss out on a nomination for Goal of the Season on STONEStv, but it may well prove to be one of the clubs most important come the end of the season. A hooked through ball from James Pinnock began a foot-race between Flisher, Waugh, Wayne Finnie and goalkeeper Peck, a race that Finnie won. Unfortunately for the centre half, Peck had come in a very close second and put his colleague off just enough that his clearance was sliced high and straight into the path of Waugh, who stroked the ball home into an empty net, giving his side their first league win since November 16th and reigniting their promotion charge.
Maidstone United: Graeme Andrews 70 Alex Waugh 84
Corinthian-Casuals: Saheed Sankou 29
Maidstone United (4-2-3-1): Daren Hawkes, Tommy Osborne, Tom Mills, Lee Gledhill, Graeme Andrews ©, Danny Lye, Ellis Green, Michael Phillips (James Pinnock 61), Alex Waugh, Sam Bewick, Alex Flisher. Unused substitutes: Jay Saunders, Ash Greenwood, Sam Groombridge, Marc Powell
Corinthian-Casuals (4-4-2): Adam Peck, Scott Hassell, Matt Ellis, Joe Hicks, Wayne Finnie, Danny Green, Jamel Carr, Saheed Sankou, Steve Barilli, Gabriel Adesina, Gavin Quintyre (Sam Labinjo 83). Unused substitute: Joe Davis
