|
At 3-0 up with less than a quarter
of an hour to play, everybody connected with Maidstone
United could have been forgiven for thinking that the
three points on offer for this extremely entertaining
Kentish Observer Football League match had been safely
obtained by the visitors. However, as was shown by the
home side, football is not as straightforward as that!
A spirited and determined Tunbridge Wells side refused
to throw in the towel and The Stones were forced to
cling on in the dying moments of this game for a victory
that for almost 80 minutes of the contest was not even
in question.
Playing what manager Lloyd Hume described as “Our
best football of the season for the first 76 minutes
of this game,” The Stones carried on where they
left off at North Leigh last weekend. Slick passing,
high tempo football flowed from the team in white, with
every single player appearing to be on top of their
game.
In particular, Neil Miller in midfield appeared to
be first to every loose ball and stronger in every tackle.
Added to this, last weekend’s 4 goal hero, Mo Takaloo,
was just bursting with confidence and his display in
this game showed just how much of a player’s success
is actually in his head. Takaloo turned in another hat
trick performance and in doing so, took his personal
goal tally to 15 for the season and 7 in the last two
games.
It took Maidstone 30 minutes to open the scoring. Captain
Sam Tydeman won the ball on the byline and stood up
a fantastic cross which was aimed at the far post. Takaloo
ghosted in and nodded home this simple chance from just
2 yards.
Within 4 minutes of the start of the second half, Takaloo
had doubled the advantage for Maidstone. A great build
up involving Aaron Lacy and Simon Austin ended with
the former crossing into the home team’s penalty
area. The ball was met first time by Takloo with a sweet,
right footed volley that fizzed just above the ground
and into the back of John Whitehouse’s net.
Just after the hour mark, Neil Miller was replaced
by Jimmy Strouts, due to a niggling groin injury. The
Stones seemed well in command of the game. To reinforce
this point of view, Takaloo completed his hat trick
in the 76th minute. He won the ball on the right hand
side and played the ball back to Tydeman, who in turn
squared the ball to Nick Hegley. Hegley went around
his defender and crossed to the back post and Takaloo
applied the finishing touch to a move that he had started
for a great team goal.
As soon as the celebrations had ended, Takaloo was
replaced by Lee Sperring, the game apparently ‘won.’
Nobody had told Martin Farnie’s side about this
though. Just three minutes later, The Wells won a free
kick along the side of the penalty area. Aaron O’Leary
delivered the kick into the area and The Stones defence
stood and watched as the ball bounced to Brad Mortimer.
Standing inside the 6 yard area, there was no challenge
on Mortimer and he lashed the ball home past an unprotected
Pat Mullin.
The drama continued, when just two minutes later, The
Wells scored again. Joe Farrell collected the ball and
waltzed into The Stones’ penalty before lashing
in a shot at Pat Mullin’s near post. From cruising
at 3-0, within the space of 7 minutes the game had changed
completely.
Despite some defending directly from the Sunday League
in the last 5 minutes of the game, The Stones managed
to hang on for the three points. Stones supporters left
the ground feeling relieved. Wells fans left the ground
feeling ‘what if’ and any lucky neutral supporters
in the crowd of 384 left Culverden Stadium thinking
‘What a great game.’
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
