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After six weeks without
a home game in the league, The Stones finally returned
to Homelands but it was not a successful experience
as they lost for only the fifth time this season.
With Maidstone once again suffering from a number
of absentees there was an unfamiliar look to their line
up with Jay Saunders partnering Tom Parkinson in central
defence and James Pinnock dropping into a central midfield
role.
And for the most part, The Stones were a match for
the visitors but unfortunately they paid the price for
two goal keeping mistakes from the normally reliable
Jamie Turner.
It was Maidstone who looked the stronger of the two
sides in the first half and on seven minutes Pinnock
and Keelan Mooney’s persistence saw The Stones
advance forwards. Mooney whipped in a dangerous cross
which was punched clear by Luke Garrard to Shannon O’Donnovan
who saw his low shot through a crowd comfortably saved
by the Kingstonian keeper.
Four minutes later Mooney was involved again when
Gabriel Odunaike won the ball and found Pinnock who
laid it into the path of Mooney but this time the Maidstone
winger curled his shot wide and then on 23 minutes Nick
Barnes’ effort from twenty five yards flew across
the goal.
Kingstonian started the second half strongly and on
51 minutes Dean Lodge’s burst of pace took him
past Parkinson and into the area where he was brought
down by the lunging Jay Saunders. The responsibility
of the spot kick fell to Bobby Traynor and he comfortably
opened the scoring.
However, the visitor’s lead did not last long
as on 58 minutes Pinnock was brought down in the area
and he took the resultant penalty. Garrard saved the
spot kick but Matthew Wright bundled the ball in from
close range only for the referee, Mr Smith, to ask for
the penalty to be retaken after encroachment from Garrard
and this time, Pinnock scored.
Five minutes later, The Stones went close to edging
in front when Mooney sent over a dangerous cross which
was dragged wide by Odunaike and then on 66 minutes,
Turner made a great save to deny Dean Lodge. But Lodge
was to have more luck four minutes later when his low
shot from close to the edge of the area some how evaded
Turner and dribbled over the line.
Seven minutes from time, Mooney chipped the ball into
the box where it was met by the diving substitute Lynden
Rowland and it looked certain that The Stones were going
to equalise until Garrard intervened with a superb save
to push the ball wide.
Then on 88 minutes any hopes Maidstone had of getting
back on level terms were dashed when they lost possession
from a throw from Jermaine Darlington and a long ball
was sent forwards. It appeared that Turner was going
to comfortably deal with the situation but he hesitated
which allowed substitute Christian Jolley to nip in
and roll the ball into an unguarded net.
As the game moved into stoppage time, Kingstonian
had two great chances to add to their tally but Traynor
and Matt Gray couldn’t hit the target and then
the final opportunity of the afternoon fell to Darlington
only for Garrard to clear his shot off the line.
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