Men
National League South Sat 7 October Plainmoor
Torquay Utd
0
Maidstone Utd
1
0-1

A solitary strike from Sam Bone was enough to give Maidstone all three points in an entertaining encounter at Plainmoor. The Stones are now top of the form table in the National League South having taken 13 points from their last six matches.

George Elokobi made three changes to the team that beat Winchester City in the FA Cup last weekend. Coming into the team were Reece Greenidge, Sam Corne and Michael Petrasso with Chi Ezzenolim, Conor Kelly and Lamar Reynolds making way.

The Stones enjoyed the best of the first half, playing some neat football, although at times the final ball wasn’t quite good enough for Maidstone to fully capitalise. Torquay had thoroughly soaked the surface prior to kick off and early on, and not for the first time in the afternoon, a slip in the Gulls defence allowed Harry Kyprianou to cut inside and his effort deflected wide.

A good spell of Maidstone possession ended with Michael Petrasso drilling a low drive goalwards only for it to be blocked. Then a dangerous cross from Petrasso was well headed behind by Dean Moxey.

On 30 minutes, Ross Marshall was given a straight red card for denying Sol Wanju-Smith a clear goalscoring opportunity. Levi Amantchi assumed responsibility for the penalty but he was denied by a full length save from Mark Halstead.

Maidstone kept on pushing and Corne won the ball well in midfield. He played it to Petrasso who found Amantchi and his pull back reached Wanju-Smith inside the six yard box and he put the ball wide.

It wasn’t until the 45th minute that Lucas Covolan was drawn into notable action. Aaron Jarvis shot from a tight angle and Covolan flung himself to his right to divert the ball away from goal.

Torquay improved significantly after the break and they put Maidstone under pressure in the early stages of the second half. The Gulls arguably should have scored when Brett McGavin crossed from the right and Jarvis headed the ball back across the goal.

Bone then found Aransiba whose deflected effort went wide. And not long after this, it was Bone who had a shot from distance but Halstead made a comfortable stop.

There was a blow for Maidstone just past the hour when Wanju-Smith got injured as he tried to control a long diagonal ball forward. But this gave on-loan Joseph Gbode the opportunity to make his debut for the Stones.

Torquay didn’t look like they were a man down and they had another good chance to take the lead. This time Jack Stobbs put a cross into the box and the well placed Tom Lapslie missed the target with his header.

Then on 69 minutes, Maidstone took the lead. Kyprianou put a free-kick into the box which fell to Bone and he found the back of the net with a low shot.

Not long after this, the Stones had a great chance to double their lead. They hit Torquay on the break and Kyprianou passed to substitute Razzaq Coleman De-Graft. Coleman De-Graft laid the ball on a plate for the arriving Devonte Aransibia who put the ball over the bar.

There was then a massive let-off for Maidstone. A mix up at the back let in Brad Ash who only had Covolan to beat and with the goal at his mercy, he found the seats behind the goal rather than the back of the net.

Torquay did have one final chance to equalise as after this, the Stones saw out the remaining minutes well. Greenidge was penalised for holding on the edge of the area but Rhys Lovett failed to trouble Covolan with the free-kick.

Torquay United: –

Maidstone United: Sam Bone 69

Torquay United: 1. Mark Halstead, 4. Tom Lapslie, 6. Ross Marshall, 9. Aaron Jarvis, 10. Lewis Collins, 11. Brad Ash, 14. Brett McGavin (8. Asa Hall 77), 16. Shaun Donnellan, 21. Dean Moxey (15. Finley Craske 80), 23. Ollie Tomlinson (7. Ryan Hanson 88), 27. Jack Stobbs. Subs not used: 22. Rhys Lovett, 24. Calum Thomas.

Maidstone United: 1. Lucas Covolan, 18. Harry Kyprianou, 5. George Fowler, 4. Reece Greenidge, 6. Raphe Brown (2. Gavin Hoyte 83), 14. Michael Petrasso (7. Razzaq Coleman De-Graft 72), 15. Sam Bone, 8. Sam Corne, 11.Devonte Aransibia, 9. Sol Wanju-Smith (19. Joseph Gbode 63), 17. Levi AmantchI. Subs not used: 12. Harley Earle, 16. Liam Sole.