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Lloyd Hume was asked after
this game "If you had £5 to place a bet on
this game at the break would you have plumped for a
3-1 win to Maidstone?" "To be honest, probably
not" was his reply.
Such was the difference in the quality of the home
team's performance in each half of this game that nobody
of sound mind would have wagered even the most meager
sum on such a clear cut Stones victory given the scenario
at half time. A goal down inside four minutes against
a side who had kept four clean sheets in their last
five league games, the home side had, for 45 minutes
at least, looked woefully out of sorts.
Added to the lacklustre performance was a double injury
blow from the opening half. The central defensive pairing
of Errison Ahwan and Chris Smalling were both forced
to leave the game with injuries. Ahwan after 23 minutes
due to a tight muscle on his thigh and Smalling, through
jarring his knee in the game's opening moments, departed
the action during the interval.
A sloppy start to the game for Maidstone saw The Rocks'
centre half Steve West open the scoring with a curious
strike. Steve Northwood had made a weak attempt at punching
clear a cross and after the ball was knocked back into
United's six yard area, the tall defender volleyed home
with a back-heeled effort over his right shoulder and
high into the net.
The introduction of each of the three substitutes for
The Stones made a significant impact on the direction
of the game. Lee Shearer's early entrance to replace
Ahwan gave the wily veteran a chance to impose some
grit and determination into a side that needed such
an injection of passion and commitment. The second half
arrival of youngster James Peacock enabled United to
bring control to their midfield as "PK" stroked
passes around the middle of the park and into the channels
for twin strikers Mo Takalobighashi and Alex Tiesse
with a confidence belying his young years.
The third substitution was tactically motivated rather
than injury enforced. Given the choice of bringing on
striker Steffan Gaisie to go with three strikers up
front or the more direct talents of Aaron Lacy, the
management duo of Hume and Walker plumped for the latter.
Gillingham scholar Danny Walder was sacrificed from
his right back role to make this change, a move bemoaned
by Walker in the stand as he said "I hate doing
that to players that are having a decent game."
With the dice rolled with 25 minutes of play remaining,
it was a case of waiting to see if the gamble would
pay off or not. Some half an hour later the answer was
revealed as an emphatic "Yes." Lacy may have
critics in the way that his game is based on the simple
basics of long ball passing and a prodigious ability
to hurl a throw-in over 35 yards trough the air but
on occasions, it is this direct approach that can pay
off in spades and this game was one of those occasions
when Lacy hit the proverbial jackpot.
Trailing by a single goal with only 12 minutes of the
game remaining, Lacy swung in a corner from the right
flank that was met in the air by diminutive striker
Tiesse. The Ivorian directed the ball to the far post
where Takaloo was standing unmarked to turn the ball
home with his right boot from close range. The departure
due to injury of the imposing East Thurrock defender
Steve West some 12 minutes prior to this equalizer had
noticeably destabilized the visitors' defensive capabilities.
With the feeling of gaining the upper hand, The Stones
pushed forward. Ray Freeman asked questions of his defensive
opponent on more than one occasion and on cutting inside
towards the goal he was upended less than a yard outside
of the penalty area. Takaloo immediately commandeered
the free kick taking responsibilities and with the defensive
wall pushed back the requisite 10 yards by referee Mr
Regan, the striker addressed the ball. With a minimal
run up, Takaloo clipped the ball with pace and stunning
accuracy into the top left hand corner of goalkeeper
Shane Gore's goal. The ball could not have been any
nearer to the top corner as the Stones' faithful roared
their delight at a second goal in the space of just
three minutes.
Barely had the excitement died down than Lacy clipped
a regulation free kick into The Rocks' penalty area
from centre midfield. The ball floated to the far side
of the six yard area to be met with perfect timing by
the head of Shearer. That a six foot plus opponent could
be left completely unmarked by his team's defensive
unit would no doubt have been profoundly disappointing
to East Thurrrock manager John Coventry. Shearer's header
was by no means powerful but its' direction was accurate
as it bounced once on its' way into the net despite
the despairing late dive by keeper Gore.
With three goals in a frantic five minute spell, victory
was assured for the home side and the disappointingly
small sized festive period attendance of 352 supporters
were able to return home safe in the knowledge that
maximum points had been obtained from this week's two
league fixtures.
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