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The Stones are still searching for their first home win of the season after they left it late to claim their eighth draw of what is proving to be a difficult campaign.
There was little goalmouth action in the first half although Tooting had a good chance to take the lead on nine minutes when Kiernan Mason-Hughes got in behind the Maidstone defence and Harry Lee did enough to make him shoot wide of the left hand post.
Seven minutes later Karl Beckford’s corner picked out Jay Lovett whose downwards header was saved by Lee but Tooting were to have more luck from a corner on 38 minutes when Rob Haworth was left unmarked and he powered his header into the net.
It wasn’t until the 52 nd minute that Maidstone threatened when the hard working Alex Flisher’s header dropped to loan signing Paul Vines inside the area and his half volley on the turn flew wide of the post.
Five minutes later Lee kept The Stones in the game with a good save at his near post and then shortly afterwards Flisher forced his way into the box but his shot from a tight angle didn’t have enough on it to find its way past Jamie Butler in the Tooting goal.
By now Andy Ford had introduced Adrian Stone and Tony Boot into the action and on 68 minutes Stone delivered an enticing cross into the middle but Boot couldn’t connect.
Fourteen minutes from time Maidstone once again had Lee to thank for keeping Tooting at bay when he got a vital touch to deny Mason-Hughes who was allowed in on goal for the second time during the game.
Then with just seven minutes remaining The Stones finally equalised when a goalmouth scramble saw Butler spill Colin Richmond’s shot and debutant Boot pounced to lash the rebound into the net.
The goal ignited what until this point had been a poor game and both sides pushed hard for a winner in the remaining time. Sixty seconds after conceding the equaliser, Tooting came close to scoring themselves only for Lee to make another fine stop from Billy Crook.
Then three minutes from the end, Cedric Abraham curled a delightful ball over the top of the Tooting defence to Paul Vines who did well to bring it down but with only Butler to beat, Paul Vines fired his effort over the bar.
Paul Vines then went close again with an over head kick that was blocked and then it was Tooting’s turn to threaten a winner when substitute Andy Dalhouse found himself with only Lee to beat but he failed to trouble the Maidstone keeper.
Then with the game deep in stoppage time, Jordan Wilson won the ball from Flisher inside his own half and went on a mazy run which took him to the edge of the area where the ball was worked to Haworth and from a good position, the Tooting striker dragged his shot wide of the far post.
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