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A solitary strike from Shannon
O’Donnovan was enough to see The Stones progress
into the First Round proper of the FA Trophy for the
first time since the club reformed.
This was one of Maidstone’s finest performances
and results in recent years and they were justly rewarded
for a hardworking showing which meant they never gave
their Blue Square South opponents time to get into their
full stride.
“You come to a team who are a league above and
you just want to stay tight and get a result and the
boys out there were fantastic today,” said Maidstone
goalkeeper Jamie Turner after the game. “I think
I had one shot to save and a few crosses to deal with
as the boys in front of me were fantastic. I said to
Tom Parkinson afterwards that he was immense, that was
the best game I have seen him play in front of me but
all of the back four were brilliant today.”
It was Bromley who had the first effort on goal inside
the first minute when Carew drifted forwards but his
shot went well wide and The Stones responded immediately
as on two minutes a long ball forwards was headed into
the path of Danny Hockton by Jay Saunders and Hockton’s
shot deflected just over the bar.
Three minutes later, Marcus Cassius shot across the
face of goal before The Stones opened the scoring on
14 minutes. Nick Barnes played an excellent pass to
James Pinnock who crossed into the box. The ball went
beyond O’Donnovan but he was given time to retrieve
it and his cross-shot sailed into the far side of the
net.
Maidstone had enjoyed the best of the early exchanges
but the home side began to come more into the game as
the half wore on and on 23 minutes, Nathan Paul had
to be alert to put the ball behind for a corner as Carew
looked to pounce from a dangerous cross.
Then on 35 minutes Bromley moved neatly down the left
and Ryan Dolby played the ball into the box. Cassius
controlled the ball with his back to goal and laid it
into the path of Luke I’Anson whose shot goalwards
took a deflection only for Turner to make an excellent
one handed save to divert the ball behind for a corner.
Shortly afterwards, Ant Bodle delivered a good cross
into the Bromley box but Saunders seemed to be unaware
that he had time to bring the ball under control and
he hooked his shot well over the bar.
Unsurprisingly the home side began to exert pressure
on The Stones’ defence after the break but Maidstone
still had chances of their own and on 67 minutes, Nick
Barnes sent over a cross which reached Saunders and
his glancing header was blocked inside the six yard
box. Then four minutes later, Barnes and Saunders combined
again and this time Gareth I Williams made a good save
to push Saunders’ header over the bar.
Twelve minutes before the end, The Stones came close
to doubling their lead when a superb pass from Saunders
released Hockton and from a tight angle, the Maidstone
debutant forced Gareth I Williams to make a smart save
and push the ball across goal.
There was a scare for The Stones seven minutes from
time though when Harrison Dunk left Turner stranded
with a deep cross but somehow substitute Adrian Stone
managed to stab the ball wide from close range before
Mark Corneille picked out substitute Salifou Ibrahima
one minute from time but The Ravens player could not
put the chance away and with it went Bromley’s
hopes of getting back into the tie.
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