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Maidstone United’s poor disciplinary record this season shows no sign of improving after Lee Shearer, Rob Owen and Lloyd Hume all saw red during the derby against Tonbridge.
Despite being a man down after 65 minutes, The Stones fought their way back into the game as Tonbridge’s lack of confidence nearly cost them their two goal lead.
However, when Rob Owen was dismissed with a quarter of an hour remaining for shoving his hand in the face of substitute Scott Kinch, there was to be no way back for The Stones.
“I think Rob’s sending off was ridiculous” said Alan Walker afterwards. “It wasn’t a sending off in any shape or form. I am very disappointed in the way that the game was handled. It was a very tough game as it was a local derby and tensions were running high but I think the spectacle was spoiled very early on.”
There was little to choose between the two sides in the opening stages and it took until the 26 th minute for the first effort on goal when Pat Mullin tipped over Fraser Logan’s header following a John Wescott corner.
Then with 32 minutes gone, Lee Shearer pushed Carl Rook inside the box and the referee, Mr Linden, awarded a penalty which was converted by the Tonbridge striker.
Maidstone were playing with a front three of Lynden Rowland, Jacob Erskine and Andy Pugh and when The Stones gained possession, all too often they tried to play the ball into confined areas which meant that they were struggling to get behind the Tonbridge defence.
However, The Angels had no such problems on 38 minutes as they ripped open Maidstone’s defence and Rook steered in his second goal of the afternoon.
Two minutes before half time, The Stones finally created an excellent goal scoring opportunity when Chris Smalling’s long clearance picked out Conor Hagan down the right hand side. Hagan cut into the box and only had Matt Reed to beat but the Tonbridge keeper blocked his shot.
The Stones started the second half in a determined manner and on 48 minutes, Rowland flicked the ball onto Erskine who lifted his shot high and wide of the target.
Four minutes later, Rook found John Westcott out on the right hand side and his cross picked out Logan whose header flashed across goal.
On 59 minutes, Lee Shearer was dismissed after an incident involving Rook and moments later, Hume was sent off from the touchline.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Maidstone pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when substitute Aaron Lacy whipped in a free-kick which was headed downwards by Ben Lewis and Lynden Rowland stabbed in his second goal inside two games from close range.
Sixty seconds later, The Stones were unfortunate not to equalise when a Lacy throw bounced in the box and Lewis latched onto the loose ball and hit a fierce shot which struck the cross bar before flying over the bar.
Maidstone then found themselves with just nine men when Rob Owen was sent off before Mullin had to be alert to deny Logan with 13 minutes remaining.
Finally, with the game deep in stoppage time, some battling play from Alex Tiesse saw the substitute release Erskine. Erksine advanced down the right hand side and with Mo Takaloo waiting in the box, he attempted to pull the ball back but unfortunately he planted the ball into goal keeper Matt Reed’s arms.
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