A trip to watch Maidstone United play in the Kent Senior Cup in freezing conditions with a howling artic wind is probably not most people’s idea of an enjoyable Tuesday night. But those fans that did travel to VCD’s ground to watch the tie with Welling were rewarded for their loyalty by seeing The Stones progress to the semi finals of the competition.
With both sides pushing for promotion from their respective divisions, neither side were at full strength although the majority of Maidstone’s side have been regularly involved in first team action this season. The game also provided the opportunity for Stones fans to see England Schoolboys player Sam Morrison in action and despite playing out of position, the teenager showed in bursts his prowess for tough tackling and his blistering pace which have made him such a bright prospect.
The Stones started much the better of the two sides but they found themselves trailing to a goal against the run of play on seventeen minutes when Andrew Sam cut inside from the left and fired the ball across Michal Czanner into the right hand corner of the net.
Maidstone nearly immediately equalised when Kane Rice and Simon Austin combined to set up Jason Barton who burst into the box and saw his shot cannon off the Welling keeper Paul Hyde’s legs.
Then as the game swung to the other end, Welling should have gone further ahead when Barton conceded position and the ball was quickly moved forward to the lively Sam. Czanner came rushing from the goal only have to the ball knocked over his head but Czanner’s presence had forced Sam wide of goal and Mario McNish blocked his shot.
Welling then let Maidstone back into the game on thirty nine minutes when they allowed Simon Austin to turn on the edge of the area and shoot past Hyde but just one minute after the break, The Wings were in front again thanks to another drive from the edge of the area from substitute Rishi Nantam.
Czanner then kept the scores level when he was forced to deny Nantam and this was to prove the last time that Welling threatened to score as The Stones began to dominate the game.
With fifty five minutes played, some good build up play from Maidstone finished with Simon Austin heading the ball into the path of Alex Tiesse who curled the ball wide and then on sixty two minutes, Tiesse was guilty of missing an even better chance when he was put through by Lee Shearer and with only Hyde to beat, placed the ball into the side netting.
However, just five minutes later, The Stones drew level when Peter Overton passed to Nick Hegley who finished from fifteen yards. This immediately prompted fears amongst the supporters, who were rapidly beginning to freeze, that extra time and penalties could be a possibility but fortunately such thoughts were quickly dissipated as Maidstone took the lead for the first time in the game.
Once again, Hegley was an integral part of the move leading to the goal as he won the ball in midfield and drove forwards. Tiesse had made a run to the left and as he entered the box, Hegley released the ball to him and with his first touch Tiesse curled the ball around Hyde into the net.
Then with ten minutes remaining, The Stones made sure of their place in the semi finals with another well worked goal. This time, substitute Aaron Shade, ghosted past a defender on the right hand side of the pitch and squared the ball to Hegley who also beat a defender before finishing coolly past Hyde to register his sixth goal of the season for Maidstone United.
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
