Maidstone United kept their promotion bid on track with an excellent point away at Dulwich Hamlet as the home side became only the second team so far this season to avoid being beaten by The Stones over the course of the two fixtures.
With both teams being amongst the division’s top scorers, it was perhaps inevitable that this fixture would finish goalless but in an exciting first half, both sides had chances to break the deadlock.
It took just three minutes for The Stones to create their first opportunity. Sam Tydeman played the ball out onto the left wing to the recalled Nick Hegley who crossed to the waiting Alex Tiesse but United’s striker couldn’t get a sufficient touch on the ball and it bounced across the face of goal before being cleared.
On seven minutes, it looked as if Dulwich had penetrated Maidstone’s defence when Nathan Paul conceded possession to Damien Scannell but as Scannell raced forwards and crossed for Serge Musuneo, Paul recovered well to tackle Musuneo just as it looked that the lively Dulwich striker would shoot.
As the play swung to the other end again, an excellent challenge from Aaron Lacy started a move which ended with Simon Overland saving from Mo Takaloo and Overland denied Takaloo again on twenty eight minutes with a superb save. Tydeman passed to Hegley who neatly flicked the ball into the path of Takaloo and his instinctive first time shot from the edge of the box looked to be heading for the net until Overland intervened to tip the ball onto the bar.
Takaloo then volleyed wide on thirty three minutes before Hegley came agonisingly close to opening the scoring for The Stones. A long ball out of defence from Craig Roser looked as if it would be comfortably cleared by the Dulwich defence but Hegley battled well to win possession. The Maidstone player then worked his way into the box and despite being under heavy pressure from two Dulwich players, managed to get a shot in which was deflected only inches wide of the right hand post.
Then with the half time whistle approaching, it was Dulwich’s turn to come close to scoring. A neat interchange of passes between Shawn Beveney and Gavin Dayes released Scannell who looked to chip Pat Mullin but some how Mullin managed to get an arm to the ball and block the shot.
After the break, the home side began to enjoy an increased shared of possession as they looked to put The Stones under pressure. Despite this though, the visitors were still creating chances and on fifty six minutes Tiesse’s weak shot bounced wide of the post and then Hegley breached the Dulwich defence only for Overland to smoother the cross with Takaloo waiting to pounce at the left hand post.
There was then a ten minute delay to the game after the linesman Wayne Ingram was injured and after this, Hamlet stepped up the pressure as they looked to claim the three points. With eighty three minutes played, Kenny Beaney’s deep cross reached Musuneo at the far post but Mullin stopped his effort and then Shawn Beveney evaded the challenges from Ryan Royston and Tydeman before curling his shot just wide of the left hand post.
owever, with the game in stoppage time it looked as if Dulwich had snatched a late winner. Following a Stones throw deep in the Hamlet half, Dulwich broke very quickly and the ball was worked to substitute Mazin Aihmad who was lurking in the Maidstone box. Aimad’s drive across goal looked destined for the corner of the net but Mullin flung himself to his right and produced an excellent one handed save to keep United’s long unbeaten run going.
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