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After Saturday’s disappointing
performance and result against Tooting and Mitcham United,
The Stones bounced back in the best possible way with
their strongest display of the season at Canvey Island
who up until this game, had enjoyed a unbeaten start
to the 2009 / 2010 campaign.
This was an enjoyable tie with both sides fully committed
to the cause and unlike in recent games, Maidstone created
a number of chances but ultimately The Stones were grateful
that the referee, Mr West, failed to award a penalty
to Canvey early in the second half after Ashley Ulph
had clearly handled the ball.
It was the home side who had the first chance after
just five minutes when Richard Halle sent over a good
cross to the back post where both the unmarked Gabriel
Fanibuyan and Frank Everett were waiting and it was
Everett who headed the ball over the bar.
Then with their first meaningful attack, Maidstone
took the lead with a well worked goal. Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw
carried the ball into the box and Nathan Paul made a
run to the right which took a Canvey defender with him.
Hernandez-Bradshaw found Paul and his deflected cross
was volleyed into the right hand side of the net by
James Pinnock from six yards.
Jamie Turner then had to be alert to push a cross
from Fanibuyan away from underneath his bar before The
Stones should have scored for the second time. Roland
Edge picked out Hernandez-Bradshaw with an excellent
ball and the Maidstone winger crossed for Ant Bodle
whose diving header bounced over the bar.
Shortly before half time Canvey’s fans appealed
loudly for a penalty when they thought that James Rowe
had been fouled in the area and moments later it was
Maidstone’s turn to ask for a spot kick when it
appeared that Jay Saunders was kicked as he tried to
break through in the box.
Leon Gordon then headed wide for the home side in
first half stoppage time before there was a controversial
incident on 58 minutes. Canvey won a corner out on their
left hand side and it was swung into the box where it
was met by Halle. Just as it looked as though Dobinson’s
header was going to fly into the net, Ashley Ulph intervened
with a save that Jamie Turner would have been proud
of and the ball crashed onto the bar and down onto the
line. Neither the referee nor the linesman appeared
to see the blatant handball and Canvey’s players
were understandably incensed.
The home side continued to press but The Stones still
looked threatening on the break and they should have
killed the game off on 71 minutes. Hernandez-Bradshaw
sent over a good cross from the right which eventually
came to Pinnock who was just yards from goal but the
ball seemed to get stuck under his feet and when he
got the shot away it was deflected wide.
Eleven minutes from time, a free-kick from Dan Stubbs
was cleared by the Canvey defence and the home side
broke quickly through Fanibuyan who played a low ball
into the box and but Stubbs had run most of the length
of the pitch and he arrived in time to make a crucial
interception.
Then three minutes later there was another nervous
moment for The Stones when Canvey sent a cross into
the box and the linesman raised his flag to indicate
a player in an offside position but then Peter Hawkins
handled the ball. The referee pointed to the spot but
after consulting his linesman no penalty was forthcoming.
In the closing minutes both sides had chances with
substitutes Keelan Mooney and Stubbs seeing shots saved
and Jamie Turner had to stop a low effort from Gordon
from the edge of the area but The Stones managed to
defend resolutely throughout seven minutes of stoppage
time to hang on for a welcome victory.
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