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Maidstone United’s
injury ravaged side once again tasted defeat in the
league in a game marred by a strong gusty wind and a
greasy pitch.
It was the home side, buoyed by the wind behind them,
who enjoyed much the better of the first half and just
three minutes had gone when Peter Hawkins handled the
ball close to the side of the area and from a tight
angle Ryan Watts clipped the bar from the resultant
free-kick.
Then on 18 minutes, Harrow should have taken the lead
when a fantastic ball put James Fraser in on goal but
Jamie Turner managed to make a save with his chest as
Fraser aimed for the far side of the net.
However, the deadlock was broken four minutes later
when debutant Alex Flisher could not clear his lines
from a position close to his own box and the ball was
once again threaded through to Fraser who this time
confidently slotted his finish past Turner.
Turner was then called upon to turn Gary Meakin’s
free-kick wide on 36 minutes and from the corner, Dewayne
Clarke’s cross looked to be sneaking in under
the bar until Turner intervened and palmed the ball
away.
Then on 43 minutes The Stones finally looked threatening
when Jay Saunders played James Pinnock in and as he
went to shoot he was brought down in the box. It was
Pinnock himself who took the penalty and he comfortably
tucked away his second goal from the spot in three matches.
The second half was a largely scrappy affair but on
57 minutes Flisher found Pinnock who brought the ball
under control before shooting into the arms of Andray
Baptiste before Saunders found the back of the net but
his effort was ruled out for offside.
Two minutes later, Pinnock shot wide and then on 78
minutes Clarke put substitute Dean Fenton in down the
right hand side. Fenton’s deep cross eventually
found Rocky Baptiste who shot wide at the near post
and from the goal kick Charlie Wassmer accidentally
flicked the ball goalwards but Andray Baptiste managed
to snuff out the danger as Pinnock looked to pounce.
Then just seconds later Flisher’s free-kick
found the arms of Andray Baptiste and the Harrow keeper
quickly threw the ball up field. The ball eventually
came to Rocky Baptiste who was in space close to the
edge of the box and he curled a delightful finish into
the right hand side of the net.
There after Maidstone pushed for an equaliser and
they came close with the game in stoppage time when
substitute Steve Elliott hit the angle of the bar and
post following some good build up play but the defeat
means that The Stones have now lost their last two league
games.
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