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Lynden Rowland might not
be a young fox in the box these days but he demonstrated
that a good striker never loses his predatory instincts
with two goals from close range to give The Stones a
welcome win.
These were Rowland’s first goals for the club
since February 2008 and until this game, he hadn’t
scored twice in a match for The Stones since Maidstone’s
victory over Dartford in March 2007. Despite looking
tired after only completing 60 minutes for The Stones
in recent weeks Rowland’s superb attitude meant
that he kept going until the end and he was rewarded
for this as he snatched the winner in stoppage time.
The game started brightly and on six minutes a throw
from Nathan Paul came out to Keelan Mooney on the edge
of the area and his low left footed drive went wide
of the far post before Sutton should have taken the
lead just four minutes later. Danny Phillips created
space for a shot which was well parried by Jamie Turner
and from the rebound, Charlie Taylor’s first effort
was stopped by Tom Parkinson at the base of the post
and then Turner made a good save to prevent Taylor’s
second shot from entering the net.
By now Sutton were beginning to look the stronger of
the two sides and on 13 minutes Alan Pouton’s
corner found the unmarked Jason Goodliffe and his header
dropped just wide.
The game then entered a lull which was broken on 33
minutes when Jay Saunders played a great ball down the
left to James Pinnock who lifted in an early cross to
the totally unmarked Lynden Rowland who could not miss
and his header bounced down into the ground and past
Kevin Scriven in the Sutton goal.
Three minutes later, the visitors came close to equalizing
when Taylor’s shot on the turn just went wide
and on 41 minutes Sonny Cobbs found himself with only
Turner to beat but the Maidstone keeper made a good
save with his legs. Then from a quick break, The Stones
went close at the other end but Rowland just failed
to make contact with a low ball across the box from
Pinnock.
One minute from the break there was a moment of controversy
as the linesman spotted a handball from a Stones player
inside the box but the referee, Mr M Yelby, overruled
him and consequently awarded a drop ball on the edge
of the box instead. From this, Sutton won a corner on
the right hand side which Pouton sent into the box and
as Turner appeared to be impeded the unmarked Steve
Perkins comfortably headed the ball into the net.
The momentum stayed with the visitors after the break
and on 63 minutes Perkins whipped in a good cross from
the right hand side and Goodliffe saw his header crash
off the underside the bar before being scrambled away.
However, after Sutton had replaced Pouton with substitute
Stefan Cox Maidstone began to enjoy a greater share
of possession and on 72 minutes the crowd appealed for
a penalty after Jay Saunders appeared to be pushed in
the box and then at the other end, Cox found Phillips
from a corner whose shot just cleared the bar.
Eight minutes from time, The Stones went close when
Nick Barnes unleashed a drive from 25 yards and Scriven
made an excellent save to tip the ball over the bar
but Maidstone were not to be denied all three points
as with the game in stoppage time they concluded a good
move in the best possible way when Saunders drove a
low ball across the six yard box and Rowland steered
in the winner.
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