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After exiting the FA Cup and FA Trophy in recent weeks, Maidstone United made a welcome return to league action as they defeated Tooting and Mitcham United for the second time this season.
This was a much improved performance from The Stones after the disappointing showing at Swindon and apart from a short spell in the second half when Paul Vines twice struck the right hand post for the visitors, Maidstone were rarely troubled.
The opening goal came on 19 minutes when The Stones broke quickly following a Tooting attack. Ben Lewis initiated the move with a diving header to clear the ball and then James Pinnock found Meshach Nugent out on the right. Nugent charged down the wing and then when he got close to the box, he drilled a good delivery across the area which was deftly flicked into the net by Pinnock.
Three minutes later, Tooting captain Allan McLeod was perhaps fortunate to only be booked after lunging through the back of Ian Selley with both feet off the ground before Elliot Bradbrook went close with a fierce left footed shot.
There was little else to note until the 51 st minute when Nugent picked up possession and drove the ball towards the top right hand corner only for Dave King to make a good save and concede a corner.
This save seemed to inspire Tooting and they then began to pressurise The Stones. On 56 minutes, Paul Vines’ header hit the post although he was offside but two minutes later, substitute Calum Crawley chipped a delightful ball into towards Vines and he did well to create space for a weak shot which trickled onto the post.
It was not until the 73 rd minute that Andy Walker made his first save of the afternoon when he flung himself to his right to divert Ben Abbey’s header away from goal before Maidstone made sure of the victory five minutes into stoppage time.
Substitute Seb Schoburgh was racing through on goal and it had appeared that he had shot wide after a good challenge had come in from Aaron Goode but the referee, Mr Smith, strangely thought that Goode had fouled the Maidstone player and awarded a spot-kick.
The responsibility once again fell to Ian Selley and he converted his fourth penalty of the season by sending King in the Tooting goal the wrong way to seal a satisfying afternoon for The Stones.
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