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Next season when Maidstone
United play at home to AFC Hornchurch, take my advice
and place a bet for a final score of 0-0. The last four
meetings between The Stones and The Urchins when Maidstone
United have been at home have all ended as no-score
draws!
Whether this was a point earned or two points dropped
for the home side is a matter of opinion but The Stones
managed to keep a clean sheet for the first time in
this campaign and that against a forward line of outstanding
pedigree.
However, having said that, on yesterday's showing it
was hard to see any evidence of that claim as The Urchins'
three strikers, Tommy Black, Martin Tuohy and Joe Flack
barely managed a shot between themselves all afternoon.
I would have said all game but all three of the aforementioned
visitors were substituted by manager Jim MacFarlane
such was their ineffectiveness at The Homelands.
With the game finishing goal less as it did, it can
hardly be argued that the home side's strike force was
particularly potent either but at least they managed
a couple more efforts on goal than their opponents did.
It took until 22 minutes for the first inkling of a
goal attempt and that came from the hard working Jake
Hobbs who fired in a low effort from 18 yards that was
comfortably dealt with by keeper Ollie Morris-Sanders.
Within a minute Danny Hockton had headed wide of goal
following a deep back post cross from Colin Richmond.
With momentum slowly building for the home side James
Peacock hit a long free-kick into the penalty area which
Hockton won with his head. The ball dropped to Hobbs
but he volleyed over the cross bar.
The second half began with a Stones attack. Richmond's
lofted free kick into the box found the head of a defender
and was then fumbled behind for a corner by Morris-Sanders.
It took until the 55th minute for AFC Hornchurch to
have their first effort on goal and it was Joe Flack
who struck a good, clean volley from the edge of the
penalty area that required Andy Walker to make a full
length diving save to his right.
Within a minute of this came Maidstone's best goal
scoring opportunity of the match. Richmond won a superb
clean, sweeping tackle from behind on the edge of the
Hornchurch area before delivering a beautifully clipped
cross to the far post where Hockton headed towards goal.
However, Morris-Sanders pulled off a great save from
point blank range to keep the scores level.
Five minutes later, Adrian Stone turned inside the
box and fired a volley narrowly over the bar. With seven
minutes remaining Hornchurch thought that they had broken
the deadlock when Leon Hunter fired a shot into the
bottom corner of the net but he was disappointed to
see the assistant referee's flag raised for offside.
The last meaningful chance of the game came four minutes
later when Hobbs' cross was only partly punched clear
by the keeper to Antonio Gonnella who saw his firm shot
blocked.
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