Maidstone United twice came from behind to draw with Bath City in a closely fought match between two sides who will hope to be in the play-offs at the end of the season. This match took a while to get going but did it ignite into an absorbing encounter which both teams will feel they should have taken all three points from.
The early stages of the first half saw Maidstone hit long hopeful balls as they tried to get in behind a well organised Bath City defence. There was little for the crowd to get excited about until the 29th minute when Sam Corne’s corner reached George Fowler at the back post but the under pressure Fowler’s tame header went straight at Josey Casa-Grande.
With 37 minutes played, the visitors went in front. Elliott Frear roamed down the left and sent over an excellent cross. Dan Hayfield’s header was going in until Raphe Brown got it away from the line but it fell nicely to the prolific Cody Cooke who drove the ball into the net.
Bath City should have doubled their lead not long after this. The Romans hit the Stones on the break and had a number of blocked shots before Ewan Clark dragged the ball wide of the left post when well placed.
Maidstone made Bath pay for this as one minute before the break, the Stones equalised. Jephte Tanga passed to Mo Faal just inside the box and Faal’s good first touch set him up to drill a nice equaliser past Casa-Grande.
Then in stoppage time, Cooke found Hayfield who was unmarked inside the box. Hayfield seemed certain to score but he was denied by some superb defending from Reece Greenidge who somehow scooped the ball over the bar from close to the line.
Bath continued to look threatening in the immediate minutes after the break. Frear got into a good position but he was denied by a great tackle from Tanga, who conceded a corner.
For the Stones, an attempted clearance from the Romans reached Rush. Rush ran forwards and his low drive went all the way across the face of goal and wide.
But with 58 minutes gone, Bath regained the lead. Clark’s deep cross from the right picked out the unmarked Frear who headed the ball into the left side of the net.
Maidstone tried to respond quickly and they went close moments later. The ball came to Faal who was just outside the box and his rising effort fizzed just over the bar.
However, the Stones did level on 63 minutes. Tanga put in an accurate low ball into the six yard box from close to the touchline which was poked home by Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong.
It wasn’t long before Bath sent another dangerous cross into the Maidstone box. This time the delivery was from Clark and it came to Hayfield who perhaps should have done better as he scuffed his shot well wide.
Four minutes from time, substitute Lamar Reynolds won a corner. Corne directed it to the back post and George Fowler’s header didn’t miss by much.
By this point, Maidstone were pushing for a winner. Reynolds stood the ball up to Tanga whose effort was blocked and the rebound came to Faal who couldn’t hit the target.
Then deep in stoppage time, Faal slipped the ball into Rush. Rush was under pressure and had to go for an early shot which Casa-Grande pushed over the bar. And from the resultant corner, Greenidge’s header was cleared off the line.
Maidstone United: Mo Faal 45, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong 63
Bath City: Cody Cooke 37, Elliott Frear 58
Maidstone United: 1. Lucas Covolan,3. Chi Ezennolim (10. Lamar Reynolds 76), 4. Reece Greenidge, 5. George Fowler, 6. Raphe Brown (19. Paul Appiah 74), 17. Jephte Tanga, 18. Bivesh Gurung, 7. Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong, 8. Sam Corne, 11. Mo Faal, 20. Matt Rush. Subs not used: 12. Harley Earle, 9. Manny Duku, 16. Liam Sole.
Bath City: 1. Josey Casa-Grande, 2. Joe Haynes, 3.Danny Greenslade, 4.Jordan Raynes, 6 Kieran Parselle, 7. Ewan Clark, 8. Dan Hayfield, 9. Cody Cooke (23. James Alabi 90), 11. Elliott Frear, 17. Scott Wilson, 19. Luke Russe. Subs not used: 5. Jack Batten, 14. Chris Lines, 10. Tom Smith.
