Maidstone United made it four games unbeaten as they eased to a comfortable win over nine men Eastbourne Borough. Substitute Lamar Reynolds scored a 25 minute hat-trick as the Stones ran riot in the last ten minutes.
The Stones started strongly. An excellent run from Chi Ezennolim down the left resulted in a corner. From this, as Eastbourne tried to clear their lines, Jephte Tanga was upended in the box. Sam Corne assumed responsibility for the penalty and he sent Harrison Foulkes the wrong way as he placed the ball into the left side of the net.
Eastbourne tried to respond quickly and they soon had a good chance. Yahya Bamba put a low ball into Decarrey Sheriff who poked the ball wide.
At the other end, Ezennolim sent a delightful ball across the box to Tanga. Tanga went for a first time shot and it went wide of the right post.
Mo Faal was then fouled deep in the Maidstone half. The Eastbourne players were incensed and Sam Beard was booked. Just two minutes later, Beard fouled Tanga and was sent off for a second yellow card.
The Sports soon made a tactical substitution, replacing Alfie Bendle with David Sesay and on 35 minutes they drew level. Pierce Bird hit a thunderous effort from the right hand side which flew past the stranded Lucas Covolan.
Maidstone needed to up their game after the break and George Elokobi bought on Raphe Brown for Michael Klass at half time. Within a minute of the restart, the Stones had a great chance to score. Faal found himself with only Foulkes to beat and slid the ball past the right post.
Not long after this, Matt Rush played the ball out to Tanga. He put a low ball into the box and Faal’s strike on the turn went straight at Foulkes.
Eastbourne were then reduced to nine men. Bird was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Tanga.
Maidstone immediately upped the tempo. Some nice play from Ezennolim and Rush ended with Ezennolim trying to pick out Faal and Eastbourne conceded a corner.
Then on 65 minutes, Ezennolim curled the ball into the box. It appeared to come off Freddie Carter’s outstretched arm and it fell to Rush who kept his composure to put the Stones back in front.
The Stones continued to find plenty of space and substitute Lamar Reynolds tried to exploit this. He got in down the left but from a tight angle, his shot went all the way across goal and wide.
Reynolds then found Matt Bentley who was close to goal. But with Foulkes in attendance, Bentley couldn’t direct the ball on target.
On a rare foray forward, Sheriff forced Covolan into a stop close to his near post. Unfortunately for Eastbourne, Sheriff clearly got injured in the process and couldn’t be replaced as all of the Sports’ substitutes had been used.
Five minutes from time, Maidstone made sure of the win. Ezennolim got down the left once more and pulled it back into the middle where Reynolds was waiting to smash a fine finish past Foulkes.
And then in stoppage time, Reynolds scored with another fine finish. This time he let fly from 25 yards and it flew into the top left corner of the net.
Moments later, Tanga was fouled in the box. Reynolds completed his excellent hat-trick by crashing the resultant penalty in off the bar.
Eastbourne Borough: Pierce Bird 35
Maidstone United: Sam Corne 7 (pen), Matt Rush 65, Lamar Reynolds 85,90, 90+3 (pen)
Eastbourne Borough: 13. Harrison Foulkes, 4. Brad Barry, 5. Dan Quick, 8. Jack Clarke, 11. Decarrey Sheriff, 14. Alfie Bendle (26. David Sesay 29), 16. Freddie Carter, 23. Sam Beard, 25. Matt Green (24. Moussa Diarra 56), 28. Yahya Bamba (7. Siya Ligendza 65), 33. Pierce Bird. Subs not used: 10. Jake Hutchinson, 21. Finn Ballard McBride.
Maidstone United: 1. Lucas Covolan, 4. Reece Greenidge,3. Chi Ezennolim, 7. Michael Klass (6. Raphe Brown 45), 8. Sam Corne, 18. Bivesh Gurung (10. Lamar Reynolds 68), 15. Sam Bone, 17. Jephte Tanga, 11. Mo Faal (19. Michael Adu-Poku 72), 9. Matt Bentley, 20. Matt Rush. Subs not used: 12. Harley Earle, 13. Riley Court.
