The Stones came crashing back down to Earth just 3 days after their excellent victory against Weymouth with a below par performance against a strong and well coached Aveley side who are enjoying life in their debut season in the 6th tier.
This was the first meeting between the two sides for 12 years which back then were in completely different circumstances with both sides fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Isthmian Premier. Now with both sides looking to stay in the mix at the top of the National League South, it was always going to be a tight encounter.
Recent player of the month Chi Ezennolim looked to get back to where he left off with an out-swinging cross 5 minutes in which found the head of Lamar Reynolds but couldn’t quite direct it on target as it went wide of Jonathan North’s post.
The visitors were a constant danger from the wings putting in plenty of crosses which weren’t gambled on very often by the forwards. Matt Rush nearly got one spot on as he looked to cut one back from the left hand side but his low drilled cross was well held by Lucas Covolan.
Just a few minutes later, full back Eduino Vaz tried his luck from 25 yards which forced Covolan into a great save in the top right hand corner. Rush looked to go one better just shy of the half hour mark when he was played through on goal but from a slight angle, his shot was denied by Covolan’s boot.
Kenny Aileru was the Aveley man to test the Stones back line when he got himself into a promising area inside the box but for a mixture of a last ditch challenge from George Fowler and Covolan’s chest, it preserved parity for the Stones going into the break.
Aveley came back for more in the second period and got their just rewards just 10 minutes in when Jon Benton whipped a delivery goal bound which was nodded in by the incoming Charlee Hughes to silence the majority of the 1,800 inside The Gallagher.
It was nothing more than the visitors deserved but it did seem to wake up the Stones as they looked to hit back. Ezennolim’s attempted cross forced North to pushing the effort over the bar desperately. Moments later, Lamar Reynolds missed the Stones biggest chance of the night when Levi Amantchi twisted and turned in the box before attempting to get his shot off. This was blocked but Reynolds could only fire over from 12 yards out with the goal gaping.
George Elokobi’s side huffed and puffed for an equaliser but just couldn’t find a way through a resilient Aveley defence who held on to take all 3 points back to Essex and to move them to the top of the table on goal difference.
Maidstone United:
Aveley: Charlee Hughes 55’
Maidstone United: 1. Lucas Covolan, 3. Chi Ezennolim, 5. George Fowler, 6. Raphe Brown, 9. Sol Wanjau-Smith, 10. Lamar Reynolds (14. Ogo Obi 73 mins), 11. Devonte Aransibia, 15. Sam Bone, 16. Liam Sole, 17. Levi Amantchi, 20. Conor Kelly. Subs not used: 8. Riley Court, 12. Harley Earle, 18. Tyler Hatton, 19. Perri Iandolo
Aveley: 13. Jonathan North, 2. Jason Ring, 3. Eduino Vaz, 4. Siju Odelusi, 5. Tommy Davis, 6. Harry Gibb (C), 7. Matt Rush (14. Alex Hernandez 88 mins), 8. Garrett Kelly, 9. Charlee Hughes, 10. Jon Benton (15. Nana Kyei 89 mins), 11. Kenny Aileru. Subs not used: 12. Conor Witherspoon, 16. Tom Stephen, 17. Lionel Ainsworth.
