|
Maidstone United enjoyed
an interesting opening afternoon in their tenancy at
Homelands - after Coca Cola League Two Accrington Stanley
showed just what a week's training at the British Army's
headquarters in Colchester can do for fitness for professional
footballers.
After matching their full-time opponents for 20 minutes,
the first real job Jamie Turner had to do on his Stones
debut was to pick the ball out of his net after a goal
straight of the Accrington training ground.
Jimmy Ryan's right-wing corner was met by veteran defender
Peter Cavanagh and his thumping header from 12-yards
gave Turner to chance at all at his near post.
The Stones could have equalised seven minutes later
from a corner of their own.
The right-wing flag kick was spilt by Stanley goalkeeper
Ian Dunham under pressure from trialist Lheureux Menga
and Peter Hawkins was only denied the leveller by a
near miraculous goal-line block from Luke Joyce.
Menga then showed a quick turn on 34 minutes, but his
shot didn't really test the Stanley goalkeeper.
After the break, only Hawkins re-emerged wearing the
Maidstone amber and black, whilst Stanley were able
to bring on veteran striker Paul Mullin and it was Mullen
whose influence guided the second half.
On 52 minutes, Ryan shot just too high before Mullin
flashed a header inches wide of substitute Adam Harris'
right-post.
Ryan then turned provider and centred for substitute
Sean McConnville to head over when he should really
had scored.
Mullin then released Ryan and the midfielder sent a
dipping 35-yard volley a yard wide of the left post.
Accrington's superior fitness was clear for all to
see and McConnville was only denied by a brave block
from Harris with his knees on 72 minutes.
The dual between the substitute and the goalkeeper
then continued on 84 minutes, when Mullin's pinpoint
left-wing cross saw McConnville bring the very best
out of Harris with a thundering header.
From the resulting corner, John Miles sealed the contest
with a brilliant curling shot from the angle into the
top left hand corner of the net.
It was nearly three on 88 minutes when Bobby Grant's
chip was just too high and landed on the roof of the
net.
It was a difficult second half for the Ryman Premier
League hosts as their only real chance of the half fell
to Ashley Dann, who twice had a header go across the
face of goal and from the returned cross Dunham clawed
the ball off the striker's head and away to safety.
|
