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After the disappointment of the
trip to Erith on Saturday, Stones fans were hoping for
a big improvement in Maidstone's performance against
VCD. Sadly this wasn't the case as United left it late
to grab a barely deserved point against a well organised
VCD side.
The Stones stuttered their way through the first half
and the closest Maidstone came was when Jimmy Strouts
saw Wallis tip his header over the bar.
Then just as United were beginning pick up the pace
and stretch the VCD defence, they conceeded a goal on
the break with 35 minutes played. An Aaron Lacy long
throw was quickly cleared and with VCD pouring forwards,
the chance fell to Ashley Probetts who leathered the
ball in from the edge of the area.
Probetts was involved again with 58 minutes gone when
he hit a free-kick into the box. Jimmy Strouts tried
to clear the ball but accidentally blasted the ball
into Craig Roser's face and the ball just bounced wide
of the post.
Moments later another Probett's free-kick picked out
James Brown in the area and he wriggled free to strike
a shot towards the top corner but Pat Mullin expertly
tipped the ball over the bar.
From the corner it was Roser's turn to come to the
rescue when he cleared Lee Coburn's drive off the line
close to the right hand post.
Having weathered this storm, Maidstone finally came
close to scoring themselves. Aaron Lacy's throw into
the area was headed on by Ryan Royston and Lynden Rowland
seemed to have knocked the ball over the line but Grant
Wallis managed to get a hand to it and push the ball
wide.
It seemed as if it The Stones were going to fail to
score for only the second time this season, a Wallis
mistake on 77 minutes gifted Maidstone an equaliser.
Mario Celaire headed Lacy's corner and the ball fell
to Ryan Royston at the back post. Royston hit the ball
into the ground but Wallis couldn't hold onto the shot
and the ball bobbled over the line.
Late on Steve Hogg came close to heading into his own
net and Strouts put a header just wide but a Maidstone
winner would have been far more than they deserved.
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