|
Two goals from Danny Hockton were enough to see Maidstone United clinch only their second league win in eight attempts.
The Stones’ recent run of disappointing results has seen them rooted to the bottom of the form table and after beginning to slide down the Ryman League, it was important that Maidstone got back to winning ways at the side who currently occupy second place in the table.
It was the home team who had the first attempt on goal with two minutes played when Tim Olorunda moved into space on the edge of the box before shooting but Jamie Turner made a comfortable save down to his left hand side.
However, with four minutes on the clock The Stones took the lead when James Pinnock found Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw wide on the right with a good ball. Hernandez-Bradshaw lofted the cross into the box and Hockton’s glancing header flew past the stranded Greg Nessling in the Hastings goal.
Hockton then had a superb chance to double Maidstone’s lead on ten minutes when he found himself bearing down on Nessling but Nessling blocked Hockton’s shot with his legs and this was the cue for the home side to up their game and they dominated The Stones for the next fifteen minutes.
On 11 minutes Russell Eldridge’s free-kick from twenty five yards left Turner rooted to the spot but it crashed off the bar and then just seconds later, another free-kick from Eldridge looked certain to be going in until Turner intervened with a superb full length save and then he also prevented the rebound from entering the net.
Then five minutes later Scott Ramsay curled an excellent ball into the path of Eldridge who released Sam Adams but Adams rushed his shot and failed to trouble Turner.
However, it was no surprise when Hastings did equalise on 26 minutes. A long ball was sent over to Adams who was left in space on the corner of the Maidstone box and Adams cut inside Roland Edge before drilling the ball inside the right hand post.
But it wasn’t long before The Stones edged in front once again as on 35 minutes an excellent persistent run from Jermaine Darlington took him into the Hastings box. With a crowd of players near him it would have been easy for Darlington to lose possession but he expertly pulled the ball back to Hockton who was in space just outside the area and the Maidstone striker curled a delightful finish low into the net.
After an entertaining first half, the second half saw far fewer chances created by either side although Hockton had a good opportunity to extend Maidstone’s lead on 66 minutes but his shot rose just over the bar and then Jay Saunders found Pinnock with a looping pass but Pinnock’s effort was blocked and went behind for a corner.
There were just two scares for The Stones in the second half. The first came on 71 minutes when the otherwise excellent Turner dropped a cross but Hernandez-Bradshaw showed good awareness to put the ball out and then four minutes later, Adam’s free-kick curled just wide and with it went Hastings’ hopes of reducing Darford’s lead at the top of the Ryman Premier League.
<
< < Back to match reports index
|
