|
After last week’s excellent win away at Kingstonian, Stones fans would have been hopeful that Maidstone could have registered their first home win of the season against Horsham. However, as so often this season, The Stones conceded a poor goal from which they never recovered and Maidstone now find themselves second to bottom in the Ryman Premier League.
The home side did start strongly and they created their first opportunity with less than sixty seconds gone when Colin Richmond picked out debutant Tommy Whitnell inside the area. Whitnell, who has arrived from Welling with an impressive goal record, was in plenty of space but he fired his shot straight at the Horsham keeper Mark Zawadski.
Then six minutes later The Stones had their best and only decent chance of the game when Antonio Gonnella found Ant Bodle who burst into the area. With Zawadski drawn from his line, the ball came to Whitnell who had a great opportunity to score but unfortunately he failed to hit the target from close range.
After being under pressure early on, Horsham gradually began to come into the game and on 14 minutes Jack Pages’ cross came to Allan Tait who saw his glancing header expertly saved by Andy Walker at the base of his right hand post.
Shortly afterwards, Tait shot wide and then on 18 minutes Maidstone fell behind when Mark Knee’s free-kick from twenty five yards seem to catch the wind and it deceived Walker as it floated into the net.
Horsham then went close again with 22 minutes gone when Anthony Storey’s corner reached Ben Andrews who saw his header drop just over the bar and this was to be the last goal mouth action for nearly forty minutes as the game entered a dull phase.
On 61 minutes Tait eluded Peter Hawkins inside the area and had a good opportunity to double Horsham’s lead but he put the ball wide and then four minutes later, Knee’s cross deflected off Richmond and the Maidstone player had Walker to thank for making a save to palm the ball away from goal.
As the game approached full time, The Stones tried to put Horsham under pressure and on 75 minutes Jake Hobbs sent the ball over the top for Whitnell who shot first time and Zawadski comfortably stopped his effort.
The visitors still looked threatening on occasions though and with the game deep in stoppage time, Antony Storey’s free-kick drew a good save from Walker before substitute Sean Johnson’s shot from distance threatened to dip under the bar but Zawadski tipped the ball over.
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
