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Maidstone United can look forward to another season in the Ryman Premier League after a nervous narrow win over Folkestone Invicta.
This was arguably Maidstone’s best performance of the season and The Stones, roared on by a large and noisy following, put Folkestone under pressure for long periods of the game.
But despite their domination, Maidstone could not force a second goal and they nearly lost their place in the league when with the game in stoppage time, Roser had to head the ball off the line and then seconds later, Clarey produced a fabulous block to deny Bremner an equaliser.
Right from the outset, The Stones looked the stronger and the less nervous of the two sides but it took some time for Maidstone to impose themselves on Folkestone. With 20 minutes gone, an Ian Selley free-kick picked out Ben Lewis but the United defender could not place his header on target.
Then three minutes later, Mo Takaloo appeared to have scored for The Stones but the goal was ruled out as Lee Shearer was adjudged to have committed a foul just before Takaloo received the ball.
However, four minutes later, Takaloo was not to be denied a second time when he gained possession from a looping Aaron Lacy header and with Luke Stonebridge stranded out of his goal, Takaloo lobbed the Folkestone keeper to send the Maidstone fans wild with delight.
On 33 minutes, Folkestone had their first opportunity of the afternoon when Bremner got in behind Clarey but with only Pat Mullin to beat, Invicta’s leading scorer scuffed the ball wide.
Selley then had free-kick from the edge of the area rise over the bar before Mullin was called into action to tip over Bremner’s goal bound effort after the Folkestone player was allowed to unleash a shot from 25 yards.
By now, Folkestone were enjoying their best spell of the match and on 40 minutes, a neat move ended with Lloyd Blackman’s shot deflecting off Ben Lewis for a corner.
But The Stones still looked threatening going forwards and on 43 minutes, Selley’s deep corner came to Lee Shearer who was unmarked but his header failed to hit the target.
With half time looming, a good passage of play from Maidstone saw the ball come out to Selley who was in space on the edge of the area and he smacked a terrific drive which cannoned off the inside of the post.
Then just after the break, The Stones were perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Shearer’s arm inside the Maidstone box.
The Stones continued to push forwards at every opportunity though and on 55 minutes, Alex Tiesse burst into the box and pulled the ball back to Takaloo who blasted the ball over the bar.
Eight minutes later, the best move of the game saw Selley clip the ball into space for Nathan Paul who sent an excellent low ball back to the unmarked Takaloo and Stonebridge flung himself to his left to deny Takaloo a second goal of the afternoon.
Bremner then had a shot kicked away by Mullin before substitute Jacob Erksine had a good opportunity to put the game beyond Folkestone when he latched onto a Mark Saunders flick but he drove the ball across goal.
As the game entered the last ten minutes, Ben Sly’s effort from 20 yards curled wide before Frankie Chappell saw red for a second yellow card after he had gone through the back of Erksine when the Maidstone striker had tried to hold the ball up by the corner flag.
With the game in stoppage time, Folkestone began to put Maidstone under severe pressure for the first time in the match. Mullin had to be alert to push Kevin Watson’s shot wide before The Stones hit Folkestone on the break from the resultant corner. Maidstone had three players racing forwards against Folkestone’s solitary defender and with Paul waiting for the ball from Tiesse, the referee bizarrely awarded a free-kick against Tiesse when it appeared that the Maidstone striker had been fouled.
By now the game was deep into injury time and Maidstone found themselves pushed back when Sly crossed for Liam Friend whose header was palmed away by Mullin and then Bremner’s effort was cleared for a corner. The cross came over from the right to Watson who was unmarked at the far post and for a second it looked as if Maidstone’s Ryman Premier League status was going to be snatched away from them at the last moment but some how, Roser blocked the ball on the line and Friend headed the rebound over.
There was still time for one last nervous moment for the Maidstone travelling faithful when a long ball forward found Bremner only for Clarey to make a tremendous block to ensure that The Stones did not make an immediate return to Ryman One South.
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