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With just three games remaining this season, The Stones have given themselves a great chance of staying up after they exchanged places with Ashford Town following their second two nil victory over the visitors during this campaign.
The opening exchanges were understandably tense and the first opportunity of the game fell to Ashford when Scott Weight went past James Peacock down the left and squared the ball to Warren Harris but Andy Walker was able to make a comfortable save.
Eight minutes later, the ball fell to Nathan Paul twenty yards from goal who struck a firm shot goalwards only for Craig Ross to push the ball wide.
However, Maidstone’s nerves were eased slightly on 18 minutes when Adrian Stone was fouled on the edge of the area and Danny Hockton curled a delightful free-kick into the net.
Although Ashford looked threatening from set pieces thanks to Paul Johnson it was The Stones who went closest again on 29 minutes when Antonio Gonnella’s corner from the right picked out Peacock and the Maidstone defender was unfortunate to see his header drop just over the bar.
Peacock then came to The Stones’ rescue on 40 minutes when Ashford broke quickly and Alain Behi sent a dangerous diagonal ball towards Johnson but Peacock made sufficient contact with the pass to send the ball over the bar.
After the break Maidstone had to absorb long spells of Ashford pressure but during this period the visitors never seriously tested Andy Walker and as the half wore on it was The Stones who looked the more likely to score.
On 68 minutes Adrian Stone’s persistence paid off as he gained possession close to the area and he passed to Hockton who laid the ball off to Gonnella whose shot on the turn sailed over the bar.
Then two minutes later, a long kick down field from Walker came to Paul who found Adrian Stone in acres of space only for the Maidstone forward to scuff the ball wide.
However, fourteen minutes from time The Stones finally made the points safe when Ashley Ulph threw the ball to Paul who did well to lift the ball into a central position inside the area and Gonnella was on hand to score his second goal with his head inside as many games.
There was still time for Ashford substitute Billy Jeffreys to clip the bar with a header following a Johnson corner on 78 minutes before The Stones should have rounded off their scoring seven minutes from time but Gonnella just failed to connect with the ball after substitute Chris Saunders had driven it across goal.
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