|
Maidstone United's winless streak has now stretched to nine games but an excellent defensive display saw them pick up a valuable point against Staines who are currently second in the league.
“It was a good performance,” said Alan Walker afterwards. “I am disappointed that we came away with only a point even though I know that we have not created a lot. Despite all of the problems we have had at the club, the players have remained massively positive and anyone can see that they have been giving everything that they have got and today I thought the crowd were great for us so it augers well for the rest of the season.”
After the disappointment of the manor of the defeat against Staines just under two weeks ago, The Stones managed to contain the visitors very well and in fact they restricted them to just two opportunities in the entire game.
The first of these came on 14 minutes when a long ball forward picked out Scott Taylor and he threaded the pass to Lewis Cook. Nathan Paul tried to stop Cook from shooting but in the end, his effort sailed high over the bar.
Before this, a corner from Elliot Bradbrook on eight minutes picked out the unmarked Jay Saunders and he headed wide.
Both sides were leaving space for the opposition to exploit and with 22 minutes played, a neat move from The Stones saw Meshach Nugent curl the ball towards goal and Lloyd Blackman was close to getting a vital touch which would have diverted the ball past Louis Wells.
Then two minutes later, Richard Butler got in down the right and squared the ball to the arriving Cook who struck his side footed shot well only for Andy Walker to make a great save with his foot.
Chances were few and far between in the second half as well and it was The Stones who looked the more likely side to score. On 55 minutes, Elliot Bradbrook instrumented a quick break and he exchanged passes with Lloyd Blackman only for Blackman to drag his shot wide of the left hand post.
It was another fourteen minutes before the Staines goal was threatened once again and this time Walker's free-kick into the area was headed on by Jay Saunders and Bradbrook was agonisingly close to getting a vital touch.
Then with the game in stoppage time, a deep free-kick from Ashley Ulph picked out Bradbrook but the Maidstone midfielder could not get enough power on the header and his effort was comfortably held by Wells and shortly after, substitute Keelan Mooney's low shot was also saved by Staines keeper.
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
