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The Stones have now failed
to score in their last three games and after another
performance where they failed to create much in front
of goal there is growing concern that this season could
turn into one of struggle for Maidstone.
After Saturday’s FA Cup exit to Woking, the
trip to Horsham was an ideal opportunity for The Stones
to restore some confidence and get back to winning ways
but United did not really get going in this fixture
and it wasn’t until the 81 st minute that the
Horsham keeper Paul Seuke was called into action to
make his first meaningful save of the evening.
There was an early warning for Maidstone on two minutes
when Ben Andrews comfortably beat James Peacock and
curled in a dangerous cross but Horsham failed to capitalise
and then four minutes later, The Stones could not clear
their lines leaving Alex Haddon to gain possession in
a good position only for The Hornets player to thump
the ball wide.
On 14 minutes a good run from the hard working James
Pinnock ended with him shooting wide before Jack Lyons
was gifted space for a shot on the edge of the box but
his effort was off target.
Then just past the midway point of the first half,
Jay Saunders flicked the ball into the path of Nick
Barnes who volleyed wide from distance and ten minutes
later, The Stones broke quickly following a Horsham
attack and Saunders sent over a deep cross which was
headed on by Roland Edge to Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw
who perhaps did not realise how much space he had and
his weak effort was comfortably gathered by Seuke.
The game did not really improve as a spectacle after
the break and on 48 minutes Horsham had a great chance
to edge in front when the ball was crossed to the unmarked
Pat Harding but Jamie Turner saved his header. And sixty
seconds later, substitute Keelan Mooney should have
hit the target when he was in space inside the area
but his shot flew over the bar.
However, the deadlock was broken in 54 minutes when
a throw into the box picked out Lyons who fired the
ball past the stranded Turner.
Seven minutes later, Turner kept The Stones in the
game when he saved Haddon’s free-kick from close
to the box which had deflected through the Maidstone
wall and this was to prove the home side’s last
attempt on goal as slowly The Stones began to gain more
possession.
On 70 minutes Mooney played the ball to Pinnock who
shot just over the bar and then eleven minutes later,
Pinnock’s effort was spilled by Seuke and the
ball came out to Barnes whose drive looked to be creeping
in under the bar until Seuke intervened to tip the ball
over.
Then with the game in stoppage time, Ashley Ulph’s
free-kick into the area caused a scramble in the box
and from the resultant corner, Roland Edge got on the
end of a low delivery from Barnes but he could not divert
the ball into the net.
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