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Maidstone United kept up
their good run of form in cup competitions this season
as they overcame Ryman North side Romford in an enjoyable
tie at Aveley.
The Stones got off to the best possible start when
on seven minutes Nick Barnes took advantage of a second
opportunity to whip in a cross and the ball eventually
dropped to Peter Hawkins who had an age to pick his
spot and slot the ball past the stranded Danny Mulrooney
in the Romford goal.
Maidstone dominated the early stages but as the half
wore on, the home side came more into the game and on
22 minutes Chris Thomas’ looping header dropped
just wide before Torn Senghore got past Nathan Paul
and forced Richard Knell into a save at his near post.
Romford were to have more luck on 35 minutes though
when Knell failed to hold onto a cross whilst under
pressure from Thomas leaving Kevin Neville to send the
ball back over his head and into the net with a well
taken side footed half volley.
However, the scores did not remain level for long
as two minutes before the break Nick Barnes picked out
substitute Keelan Mooney with a delightful pass. Mooney
raced towards goal before confidentially lobbing the
stranded Mulrooney and as the ball entered the net there
was a sense of remarkable timing as a green firework
burst into a shower of stars from a nearby display.
Then on 58 minutes Romford pulled level once again
when Senghore found Kurt Smith with a good ball and
although Smith appeared to scuff his shot, it had sufficient
momentum to find its way past Knell in the Maidstone
goal.
The Stones responded immediately though as sixty seconds
later Hawkins found Mooney who sent a low cross into
the box which was met by Ashley Dann and he turned an
fired the ball into the net.
Two minutes later, Mooney should have extended Maidstone’s
lead when he found himself with only Mulrooney to beat
but he miscontrolled the ball allowing the Romford keeper
to gain possession and then late on, Hawkins went close
with a header before seeing a low shot deflect wide.
From the resultant corner, Nick Barnes’ cross
ended up in the net after apparently taking a deflection
off Kevin Neville but the goal was greeted with silence
as at first no one realised that the ball had gone into
the net rather than the side netting.
With the game in stoppage time, the home side set
up a nervy end to the game for The Stones as substitute
Paul Kavanagh leapt over Tom Parkinson before lashing
in an assured finish and then Romford came within a
whisker of forcing extra time when Senghore hit the
right hand stanchion with a shot from a tight angle.
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