It was more misery for Maidstone as they were beaten comprehensively by a well drilled and organised Horsham side to leave the Stones with a bit of soul searching to do after two disappointing performances in the last week.
The gaffer brought back in frontman Deon Moore for Josh Redfearn whilst Jephte Tanga went back to the left hand side in place of Riley Court.
There was a positive start from the Stones as they attacked with a bit of intent and with 90 seconds on the clock, John Gilbert was close to opening the scoring. Deon Moore beat his man for strength down the right hand side before pulling it back fro Gilbert whose first time shot was deflected over the bar.
Moore then came up with the Stones best opportunity across the 90 minutes as he was given a free header from Gilbert’s lofted cross, inside the 6 yard box but somehow put it over the bar with the goal gaping. The Stones number 9 continued to try and cause problems as he looked for the low drive on his left foot but was comfortably held onto by Lewis Carey.
Horsham’s Reece Meekums looked to try and have his effect on the game as he cut inside on the left before trying to bend the ball into the far corner with Nathan Harness at full stretch, but was just wide of the post.
The visitors continued to grow into the game and were rewarded when Leone Gravata’s through ball saw Rhys Murphy beat the offside trap before delicately dinking the ball over Harness into the bottom left hand corner to give Horsham the breakthrough.
Murphy was fired up after his goal and nearly added a second just before the break when his shot from 25 yards out was parried by Harness but Leo Hamblin was fouled on the rebound.
Seconds later, the Stones were punished yet again for some lacklustre defending when Charlie Hester-Cook was allowed to freely knock the ball to the right for Gravata and his low cross was tucked away by Meekums from 6 yards out to grab the Hornets’ second of the afternoon.
Maidstone had to come out in the second half and prove a point but were really lacking in quality in the final third. Gilbert’s corner early in the second period was met by TJ Bramble but couldn’t generate any power with his header as Carey claimed the ball.
Gravata who was a constant problem for the Stones went searching for that killer third as he raced down the right and saw his effort well saved at the near post by Harness. Substitute Riley Court came on and tried to give the Stones that bit of energy in around the Horsham box as he saw his shot inside the box blocked by a Horsham head and out for a corner.
With Horsham sailing to the three points, their afternoon got even better when former Stone, Greg Luer, latched onto a ball over the top and with three defenders in his way, managed to get a bit of fortunate when an attempted clearance bounced off his foot and into the bottom left hand corner to complete a tough afternoon for Maidstone.
Maidstone United:
Horsham: Rhys Murphy 39’, Reece Meekums 45+8’, Greg Luer 81’
Maidstone United: 1. Nathan Harness, 2. David Sesay, 3. Leo Hamblin (17. Riley Court 45 mins), 5. George Fowler, 6. TJ Bramble (22. Teo Kurtaran 53 mins), 7. Jephte Tanga, 8. Sam Corne (C), 9. Deon Moore, 10. John Gilbert (19. Ruben Carvalho 68 mins), 12. Dajon Golding (14. Josh Redfearn 60 mins), 15. David Agbontohoma (18. Sam Oguntayo 68 mins). Subs not used: 13. Lenny Holden, 20. Patrick Casey.
Horsham: 1. Lewis Carey, 2. John Elliott, 3. Harvey Sparks, 4. Charlie Hester-Cook (10. Lucas Rodrigues 66 mins), 7. James Hammond, 9. Rhys Murphy (14. Shamir Fenelon 66 mins), 15. John Brivio (C) (6. Jack Strange 8 mins), 16. Montel Agyemang, 18. Reece Meekums (17. James Roberts 79 mins), 20. Lee Harding, 23. Leone Gravata (12. Greg Luer 59 mins). Subs not used: 8. Danny Barker, 22. Freddie Hammond.
