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Maidstone United are still searching for their first pre-season win after they were comfortably beaten by Blue Square South side Dover Athletic.
The first half saw The Stones compete well with their newly promoted counterparts with Dean Bradshaw and James Peacock particularly impressing but Maidstone failed to create much in front of goal and that will surely be the main concern for The Stones’ management duo of Alan Walker and Lloyd Hume.
On nine minutes Peter Hawkins conceded a free-kick down the left and Jon Wallis crossed for Jake Leberl who headed over the bar then eight minutes later, Nathan Paul accidentally volleyed the ball into the path of Jon Wallis only for the Dover player to shoot wide of the near post.
At the other end, on 20 minutes, Peacock sent over an inviting cross which Lheureux Menga challenged for with John Whitehouse and as Whitehouse spilled the ball, Dean Bradshaw shot straight at the Dover keeper.
Then on 24 minutes, Menga missed a glorious chance when he failed to convert a dangerous cross from James Pinnock and Dover broke quickly which presented Adam Birchall with an opportunity but he shot straight at Jamie Turner in the Maidstone goal.
However, the deadlock was finally broken on 35 minutes when Ryan Royston deflected Dean Hill’s shot into his own net and then Dover extended their lead six minutes later when Birchall calmly slotted the ball past Turner as the Maidstone keeper came off his line.
Sixty seconds later, Maidstone pulled themselves back into the game when Nathan Paul’s persistence took him the box and although Whitehouse blocked his first effort, he couldn’t do anything to stop Paul firing in The Stones’ first goal of pre-season in off the underside of the bar.
It did not take Dover long to pull ahead once again though as on 57 minutes a good move down the right involving three substitutes saw Tom Davies pass to Jerahl Hughes and his cross was headed in by Shaun Welford at the far post.
There after it was the visitors who dominated proceedings and substitutes Augustine Biaye, Welford and Hughes all went close for Dover but The Whites could not add any more goals to their tally.
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Maidstone United: Nathan Paul 42
Dover Athletic: Ryan Royston 35 (OG), Adam Birchall 41, Shaun Welford 57
Maidstone United: Jamie Turner (Richard Knell 75), Nathan Paul (Steve Elliott 75), Roland Edge (Ant Bodle 75), James Peacock (Tom Parkinson 57), Peter Hawkins, Ryan Royston, Dean Bradshaw (Dan Stubbs 47), Jay Saunders (Junior Mandukila 75), James Pinnock (Keelan Mooney 61), Lheureux Menga (Ashley Dann 53), Nick Barnes (Shannon O'Donovan 61)
Dover Athletic: John Whitehouse, Danny Walder, Sam Gore, Jake Leberl, Dean Hill, John Keister, Jon Wallis, Sammy Moore, Adam Birchall, Frannie Collin, Lee Browning. Subs: James Rogers, Ollie Schulz, Jerahl Hughes, Nicky Southall, Tom Davies, Lee Hook, Geoff McGaw, Shaun Welford, Augustine Biaye, Andy Hessenthaler.
Alan Walker
Starts 15 August
Pictures from Steve Terrell
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