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The Stones came from behind for
the second time this season to beat Beckenham Town and
so book their place in the semi finals of the PDC Cup.
As so often this season, Maidstone started brightly
and their early pressure paid off when the first goal
came after only 4 minutes. Nathan Paul slipped the ball
through to Nick Hegley who cut into the box before placing
a cool low finish past Rob Tolfrey.
The Stones then had a penalty appeal waved away moments
later when Mo Takaloo tumbled in the box but the referee,
Mr Knight, believed that Takaloo had handled the ball
on his way down.
Maidstone continued to create chances though and Takaloo
should have done better on 11 minutes but his tame effort
was easily gathered by Tolfrey.
Nathan Paul then mis-hit a shot wide as The Stones
put Beckenham under considerable pressure but a Beckenham
goal against the run of play on 31 minutes, altered
the course of the first half.
From the visitor's first corner of the game, Ohran
Stewart sent the ball to the far post and the unmarked
Errison Ahwan headed the ball into the net.
The goal sparked Beckenham into life but had a detrimental
affect on The Stones confidence and suddenly it was
the home side who were under pressure. Paul Vines missed
a good opportunity, firing wide with only Mullin to
beat but Beckenham went ahead shortly before half time.
A Ryan Royston mistake in midfield was to prove costly
and as the ball headed out to Paul Vines on the wing,
Craig Roser couldn't cut the pass out leaving Vines
to play a simple ball to Dean Lodge who scored from
12 yards.
The start of the second half was a tighter affair and
after 62 minutes Lloyd Hume decided to change things
around, bringing off Mo Takaloo and Nick Hegley for
Lee Sperring and Simon Austin.
Then 3 minutes later, The Stones got themselves back
in the game thanks to a fantastic box to box run from
Mario Celaire which ended when Cedric Meeko brought
the central defender down just inside the area. Simon
Austin was given the responsibilty of taking the penalty
and he hit a confident finish inside the left hand post.
And the turnaround was complete on 75 minutes when
a long ball forward was flicked on by Rowland into the
path of Sperring who raced into the box, despite the
best intentions of subsitute Gavin Rose who was holding
onto his shirt. Just as Sperring was about to shoot
he was chopped down and Austin dispatched his second
penalty of the afternoon with ease.
However, with time running out, Beckenham nicked an
equaliser when The Stones couldn't get a cross clear
and Peter Adeniyi fired in to take the game into extra
time.
With 99 minutes on the clock, Mullin got a vital touch
to turn Ellis Green's shot round in the post but chances
at either end were few and far between until just six
minutes from the end when The Stones grabbed the winner.
Simon Austin intelligently sent a quick throw behind
the Beckenham defence to Lee Sperring who pulled the
ball back and Rowland slammed the chance high into the
back of the net to keep The Stones on track for a league
and cup double.
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