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Craig Wilkins scored his first goal since returning to Maidstone United to give The Stones a narrow victory over Kent League side VCD Athletic.
Paul Foley’s VCD side contained a number of players familiar to Maidstone fans, including Leory Huggins, Richard Sinden and Steve Hogg but the home side never threatened Michal Czanner’s goal.
This in part, was thanks to a solid defensive performance from United and in particular, Chris Smalling stood out as he partnered Lee Shearer in the centre of defence.
There were also good performances from Jim Bodle and Chris Peacock as the reserve team players made strong cases to be involved with the first team squad on a more regular basis.
It was Peacock who had the first shot of the afternoon on nine minutes when he burst through midfield and drove wide of the right hand post.
Then on fifteen minutes, Mo Takaloo came within inches of scoring a spectacular goal. Craig Wilkins used all of his strength to win the ball on the left hand side and he whipped in an inviting cross which picked out Takaloo. Takaloo managed to chest the ball up into the air and when it dropped back down, he met it with an overhead kick which unfortunately just cleared the left hand post.
Takaloo should have been awarded a penalty when he was scythed down in the area on twenty four minutes but Nick Hegley’s long shot on thirty seven minutes was The Stones’ last attempt on goal in a sluggish first half.
However, within three minutes of the restart, The Stones took the lead. Hegley raced to the by-line and pulled the ball back to the waiting Takaloo who unfortunately found only air when he swung to kick the ball leaving Wilkins to place a good finish with the side of his foot into the right hand corner of the net.
Trialist Ray Freeman had been introduced at the break for Jason Barton and on fifty five minutes he was played in on goal by Tyrone Smith but his shot was saved by the keeper’s legs.
Some poor defending from VCD on sixty two minutes presented Kane Rice with the opportunity to swing the ball across the box to Hegley who hit a difficult first time volley wide of the left hand post.
Then on seventy six minutes, Smalling spread the ball
out to Rice who flicked a header to substitute Simon
Austin. Austin returned the ball to Rice who showed
good footwork to ghost past the VCD defender before
hitting a low powerful shot which was just tipped around
the post.
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