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With just six games remaining this season, the chances of Maidstone United securing their status as a Ryman Premier League team look slim after they were embarrassed by a strong Hastings side.
The Stones have won just three league games at The Homelands all season and after a woeful performance they were lucky that their goal difference did not take an even bigger battering.
“I would like to make an apology to the supporters and the people connected with the club,” said Maidstone manager Pete Nott. “That level of performance is unacceptable. We have had a screaming and a ranting session with the players in there. They have been told that there are too many of them who are playing on reputation or previous reputation and have not got the heart and desire to see us out of this predicament that we are in.”
The home side never threatened in the first half although Antonio Gonnella lifted a shot high and wide of the goal after seven minutes. Then shortly afterwards Liam Bellamy ripped open the Maidstone defence and found Tyrone Sterling who rounded the diving Andy Walker and shot goalwards only for Nathan Paul to expertly scramble the ball clear.
Hastings continued to dominate and on 16 minutes Sam Adams found Ross Treleavan whose effort looked to be creeping inside the left hand post until Walker intervened with a good one handed save.
However, the visitors did finally open the scoring with 24 minutes gone when Harry Pell’s free-kick into the box was met by the unfortunate Ashley Ulph and he headed the ball past the stranded Walker.
Three minutes later Treleaven cut inside from the left and curled the ball wide of the right hand post before Hastings had a good appeal for a penalty waved away when Adams was upended inside the box.
Then eleven minutes before the break, Paul lost possession on the edge of the area and the ball eventually came to Treleavan who drew a smart block from Walker but the Maidstone keeper was powerless to prevent Hastings extending their lead on 43 minutes when Trelevan finished from a Pell cross.
Five minutes after the interval The Stones had an excellent chance to get back into the game when Danny Hockton was put in on goal but with only Steve Williams to beat he shot straight at the Hastings keeper.
As so often is the case when you are struggling, Maidstone were instantly punished for this miss as on 51 minutes Pell eased past Ulph and crossed for Sterling who headed the ball past Walker. And then matters got even worse for The Stones just four minutes later when Pell drove over a corner from the left and Sean Ray arrived to arrow a header into the net.
By now, Maidstone were completely on the ropes and Treleaven should have piled on more misery when on 63 minutes when he raced clear on goal but he was far too casual and with just Walker to beat he thumped the ball wide.
Six minutes from time, Tom Parkinson picked out Hockton whose shot on the turn was comfortably collected by Williams and then Maidstone’s misery was compounded on 87 minutes when Michael Phillips’ corner appeared to come off Ray before flying into the net.
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