|
A hard working performance from Maidstone United was rewarded as The Stones made it four points from their last two away games with a draw at Billericay Town.
This was an enjoyable match with both sides creating a number of chances with the second half in particular proving to be action packed.
With just two minutes on the clock James Baker ran at Peter Hawkins and as he entered the box he turned into space but he shot straight at Jamie Turner.
Three minutes later, Maidstone had their first opportunity of the afternoon when Nathan Paul lifted the ball into the area and Steve Elliott chested it into the path of Danny Hockton who saw his shot expertly blocked by the Billericay keeper Paul Nicholls.
However, it was the home side who opened the scoring on 12 minutes with a well worked corner. Michael Shinn sent a good delivery into the box and Chris Wild timed his run perfectly to sweep the ball into the net.
Sixty seconds later, The Stones came close to equalising when James Pinnock shot from a tight angle but his rising effort flew across the face of goal.
There after there was little goalmouth action until the second half and on 50 minutes, The Stones pulled level when Jay Saunders picked out Barnes who took a touch and then drilled an excellent finish into the net from a tight angle.
Maidstone had enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges after the interval but as the half wore on it was the home side who began to dominate and they put The Stones under concerted pressure at times. On 63 minutes Dave Wareham got past Nathan Paul down the left hand side and pulled the ball back to substitute Jacob Cleaver only for Ashley Ulph to make a timely intervention.
Then just one minute later, The Stones broke out of defence and a fine passing move saw the ball worked forward to Hockton who entered the box and once again Nicholls in the Billericay goal made a good save to concede a corner.
On 70 minutes, Turner was called into action to beat away a shot from Baker at the right hand post and then three minutes later, the home side thought that they had edged in front when Baker finished from close range from a Shinn free-kick but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Sixty seconds later, James Pinnock slipped in an unfortunate position and gifted possession to Baker who fed Russell Pond and his effort from just outside the area fizzed just wide before Baker was involved again when he played Wareham in down the left and this time, Wareham’s shot found the side netting.
Eight minutes from time, Billericay once again went close when Danny Green played the ball across the six yard box and Baker’s touch just deflected wide and then from the resultant corner, Shinn crossed for Wild who headed the ball down into the ground and it bounced just over the bar.
The final chance of the afternoon fell to The Stones though and on 89 minutes, Hockton once again got into a good position inside the area and he hit a rising shot towards goal which Nicholls tipped over.
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
