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Another home league game has ended in defeat for The Stones after Frannie Collin struck a hat-trick to give a strong Tonbridge side a comfortable victory.
Like so often this season, Maidstone started well enough and the game could have had a different outcome had Simon Glover taken the early chance that came his way but he blazed his shot over the goal when well placed.
However, it did not take long for Tonbridge, who have now lost just once in sixteen games, to take the upper hand as on 13 minutes Maidstone’s defence disappeared allowing Lewis Taylor to head the ball into the path of Collin who scored from close range.
The closest The Stones came in the first half was on 22 minutes when a free-kick from Colin Richmond was met by Danny Hockton but his flicked header did not trouble Lee Worgan in the Tonbridge goal. Then on 31 minutes Hockton once again saw a header go wide following good work from Tommy Whitnell.
Maidstone fell further behind on 38 minutes when a soft free-kick was awarded to Tonbridge and Collin’s fierce effort took a wicked deflection and flew past Walker.
At half time, Andy Ford brought on Gary Wharton who became the 51 st player to feature for The Stones this season and the striker had a positive impact before being forced off with a hamstring injury.
Wharton’s first opportunity came on 50 minutes when he battled hard to win the ball just inside the area but he rushed his shot and Worgan gathered the ball before Joe Vines had to be alert to clear the ball at the base of the left hand post following a neat move from Tonbridge.
The game immediately swung to the other end where Hockton chested the ball into the path of Wharton whose low shot was parried by Worgan and then with 67 minutes gone the visitors extended their lead when Maidstone’s defence once again fell apart allowing Chris Piper to find Collin who riffled the ball past Andy Walker.
With twenty minutes remaining, The Stones came close to pulling a goal back when a curling free-kick from substitute Dane Sutton was met by Dean Rance whose header was scrambled clear and then Rance went close again on 79 minutes but this time Worgan made a good save.
Tonbridge then broke quickly and it was Walker’s turn to make a fine stop as he denied Collin a fourth goal of the evening and then six minutes from time the Maidstone keeper once again made a good save to this time deny substitute Fraser Logan.
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