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Maidstone United have put
an end to their losing run in the league but after taking
the lead twice in an enjoyable game at Imperial Fields,
The Stones will be disappointed that they did not come
away with all three points.
On eight minutes a mazy run from James Pinnock ended
with him being tackled in the box and the ball broke
to Nick Barnes who saw his snap-shot comfortably held
by Dave King in the Tooting goal before Pinnock was
involved again on 17 minutes when a neat move from The
Stones ended with the Maidstone striker dragging the
ball wide from a good position.
Seven minutes later, The Stones broke quickly from
a Tooting attack and Barnes again found Pinnock in space
only for the Maidstone striker to fail to hit the target
once more. However, on 33 minutes The Stones did open
the scoring when Pinnock played the ball into Shannon
O’Donnovan who was in space inside the area and
although his shot hit the base of the left hand post,
the unfortunate King saw the rebound bounce off his
back and loop into the net.
The home side responded well to falling behind and
on 37 minutes Simon Parker’s drive struck the
post but the Tooting striker did find the net seven
minutes later when Jamie Byatt comfortably passed Jay
Saunders and drilled the ball into the area where Parker
on hand to divert the ball past Jamie Turner.
The game did not stay level for long though as five
minutes before the interval, good persistence from Pinnock
led to him crossing from the right and Danny Hockton
plucked the ball out of the air with an outstretched
leg before spinning and lashing his shot into the net.
Tooting emerged from the break determined to pull level
and they should have done so on 49 minutes when Paul
Vines was left unmarked in the box but he planted his
header over the bar. Then at the other end, Hockton’s
good run down the right saw Donnovan gain possession
and from a tight angle his shot was cleared off the
line.
But the home side did equalise on 64 minutes with a
classic route one goal. King pumped a long goal kick
down field which caught the Maidstone defence cold and
Sam Clayton held his nerve to allow the ball to bounce
once before heading it over the advancing Turner.
Three minutes later, Aaron Goode found Parker inside
the box but Turner made the save before Parker should
have given Tooting the lead when he got on the end of
a Paul Vines cross only to waste the opportunity.
Then on 78 minutes, some indecisive defending from
The Stones once again presented the home side with a
glorious chance to score but this time Turner made a
good save to stop Paul Vines’ goalbound shot with
an outstretched leg.
The play then swung to the other end and eight minutes
from time it was Maidstone’s turn to go close
when Jermaine Darlington lifted in an excellent cross
but Hockton could not steer his header past King and
this was to prove the closest either side came to clinching
a win in the remaining time.
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