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For the second time in a
month, Maidstone visited Bognor Regis but unlike the
first occasion, this was a much more entertaining game
and The Stones came away with their third victory in
as many matches.
This was a good hardworking performance from United
with Nick Barnes and Shannon O’Donnovan particularly
outstanding in midfield and even when Bognor did break
through the Maidstone defence they could not find their
way past Jamie Turner.
The first half took a while to get going and it wasn’t
until the 34th minute that Maidstone threatened when
O’Donnovan chased the ball down the left hand
side and managed to drill a low cross into James Pinnock
who saw his flick saved by Anthony Ender in the Bognor
goal.
Then sixty seconds later, Jay Saunders’ looping
header into the box was met by Matthew Wright and a
combination of Ender and Bond saw the ball cleared off
the line.
The game quickly moved to the other end as Jermaine
Darlington lost the ball in midfield only for Louis
Castles to shoot straight at Turner and then five minutes
from the break, Barnes’ free-kick from thirty
five yards dropped just over the bar.
Then on 43 minutes, Sam Tucknott picked his way through
the Maidstone defence and drew a good save from Turner
at his near post. Michael Birmingham took the resultant
corner but he dragged the ball towards the edge of the
box and Nick Barnes sent his pass out to O’Donnovan
on the left wing. O’Donnovan made good progress
before chipping the ball back to the breaking Barnes
and he placed a superb header into Pinnock who then
expertly lobbed Ender to score arguably Maidstone’s
best goal so far this season.
For fifteen minutes after the break, The Stones had
to weather some pressure from the home side and on 55
minutes, Turner made a diving save to deny Birmingham
but he spilled the ball and Richard Greenfield finished
from close range but he was deemed to be offside before
Turner was called into action three minutes later when
he made another good save to deny James Prior.
On 68 minutes, The Stones had an appeal for a penalty
waved away when James Crane appeared to handle Barnes’
cross and then two minutes later, Pinnock whipped in
a cross which Ender failed to hold but substitute Gabriel
Odunaike could not force the ball into the net.
However, Maidstone did finally make the game safe
on 73 minutes when Odunaike put the ball into the box.
This time Pinnock jumped with Ender and once again the
Bognor keeper could not claim the ball leaving O’Donnovan
with the task of drilling his shot into the net to mark
his full first team debut in the best possible manner.
Six minutes from time Birmingham’s free-kick
from a central position deflected off The Stones’
wall and went just over and then at the other end, Nathan
Paul made a good run down the right and found Odunaike
but from a tight angle his shot struck the stanchion.
There was still time for Bognor to have two more attempts
on goal as on 89 minutes, Mickey Demetriou shot just
wide of the right hand post and then with the game deep
in stoppage time any hopes the home side had of getting
back into the game were dashed when Prior’s wild
shot flew well wide.
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