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After a difficult week for Maidstone off the pitch, The Stones’ misery continues after slumping to defeat against the Ryman Premier League bottom side, Heybridge Swifts.
This was a disappointing performance from Maidstone and perhaps most concerning aspect was the fact that is it now over a month since The Stones created more than a couple of chances on goal during a league game.
“It has been a tough week for the club,” said Alan Walker after the game. “But we got what we deserved today and I am angry because we did not play and there is not one player who can be proud of their performance.”
Maidstone could have been two nil in front by the time Heybridge took the lead as on nine minutes Lloyd Blackman got in behind The Swifts defence and found himself with just Ollie Morris-Sanders to beat but although he lobbed the Heybridge keeper, the ball bounced wide.
Then on 31 minutes, a neat move from The Stones saw Keelan Mooney pick out Roland Edge who was bursting into the box. Edge was tackled and the ball came to Mooney who fired wide of the right hand post.
In between, Reece Morgan had swivelled just inside the Maidstone area and hit a half volley which struck the angle of the crossbar and post.
At the other end, eleven minutes before the break, Ashley Ulph was fouled just outside the box on the left hand side of the pitch and Aaron Lacy rolled the free-kick into the path of Kevin Watson who saw his fierce drive fly past the post.
The Stones then had Andy Walker to thank for keeping the scores level when on 36 minutes he tipped over a volley from Robbie King and from the resultant corner he got down well to his right hand side to turn Neil Cousin’s shot round the post.
However, Walker could not prevent the visitors from finally taking the lead on 61 minutes when a long ball forwards opened up The Stones defence and Cousins confidently dispatched his finish past the stranded Maidstone keeper.
Three minutes later, Blackman tried to haul The Stones level but his long range effort fizzed wide and then on 72 minutes, Mooney saw his effort just miss the target.
But this was to be the last time Maidstone threatened the Heybridge goal and The Swifts made sure of their victory seven minutes from time when once again The Stones were undone by a long ball forwards which this time picked out James Robinson. Robinson entered the area chased by Aaron Lacy and it had seemed that between Lacy and Walker, the danger had been snuffed out but the ball squirmed away from the Maidstone players leaving Robinson with the task of firing his shot past Ulph who failed in his desperate attempts to clear the ball off the line.
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