With the new season edging ever closer, the number of trialists was slashed to just three as George Elokobi and Craig Fagan firm up their squad for the upcoming campaign.
Folkestone – a regular in the pre-season calendar – featured three former Stones players in Callum Davies, Andre Coker and Ibz Olutade. Assistant manager Roland Edge was also on the club’s books between 2008 and 2010, while returnee frontman David Smith spent a couple of seasons in the Maidstone academy.
The Stones started the game brightly, with Sol Wanjau Smith making an early impression on the game and it was the man himself who opened the scoring on 17 minutes. Trialist C, who’d only been on the field of play for a minute, having replaced Sam Bone, delivered the ball from just inside the Folkestone half and Wanjau-Smith managed to get it down and fire through the legs of Joe Coleman from close range.
Maidstone doubled their lead just before the break. Trialist A got himself on the scoresheet, firing low past Coleman into the bottom left hand corner
Invicta had an opportunity to get back into the game early in the second half but George Fowler made an important save on the line – much to the delight of his assembled fan club.
Goal number three came on the 52nd minute. Great work from Levi Amantchi on the right, who managed to play the ball across the six-yard box towards Razzaq Coleman De-Graft, who fired into an empty net.
It could have been four a few minutes later but Gavin Hoyte’s header – from a Sam Corne corner – went wide. Fowler had an opportunity to add to the scoreline late on but his looping backwards header hit the roof of the net.
The Stones round off pre-season at home to Lewes on Saturday.
Maidstone United: 12. Harley Earle, 2. Gavin Hoyte ©, 4. Reiss Greenidge, 5. George Fowler, 6. Raphe Brown, 8. Sam Corne, 9. Sol Wanjau-Smith, 11. Devonte Aransibia, 15. Sam Bone, 18. Bivesh Gurung, Trialist A. Subs: 1. Trialist B, 7. Razza Coleman De-Graft, 10. Lemar Reynolds, 17. Levi Amantchi, 19. Perri Iandolo, 20. Riley Court, Tyler Hatton, Trialist C
Folkestone Invicta: 17. Joe Coleman, 2. Trialist 2, 3. Trialist 3, 4. Ian Gayle ©, 5. Callum Davies, 6. Kane Penn, 7. Trialist 7, 8. Ade Cole, 9. David Smith, 10. Jordan Ababio, 11. Andre Coker, Subs: 12. Andy Drury, 14. Trialist 14, 15. Ibrahim Olutade, 16. Jake Goodman, 18. Lenny Atherton, 19. Trialist 19, 20. Scott Heard
Referee: Nick Dunn
Assistant Referees: Ryan Chantrill-Smith and Rhys Jeffery
Fourth Official: Richard Joss
