Maidstone United are still searching for their first home league win after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Slough Town. The Stones created numerous chances in this game and hit the bar once in each half but Charlie Horlock in the Rebels goal was only beaten once.
The Stones started well. A nice move on four minutes saw Sam Corne play the ball out to Aaron Blair. Blair’s cross picked out Ben Brookes who laid the ball off to Corne and his low shot was saved by Charlie Horlock.
Slough began to come into the game and they would have scored if it had not been for a superb save from Alexis Andre Jr. Jeanmal Prosper’s header from close range looked certain to go in but some how Andre Jr got his body in the way.
Slavi Spasov then beat the offside trap and set off towards goal. Raphe Brown sprinted to keep himself close to Spasov and did very well to prevent the Slough striker getting a shot away and the ball went out for a goal kick.
Maidstone appealed for a penalty when Blair went down in the area but none was forthcoming. Then on 31 minutes, a terrific ball into the box from Charlie Seaman was sliced onto his own bar by Lexus Beeden. With Charlie Horlock beaten it seemed certain that Blair would score but he was caught off balance and his effort dropped just over the bar.
Four minutes after this, Dan Roth went for goal about 25 yards out. The ball might have just been creeping wide of the left post but Andre Jr made sure as he got down well to make the save.
With the interval approaching, Antony Papadopoulos’ cross shot was tipped over the bar by Horlock. Ben Brookes delivered the resultant corner which Josh Jackman got a foot to and Blair reacted quickly to bundle the ball in from close range.
Just after the break, Ben Brookes’ long throw was flicked on by Temi Eweka. The ball came to Corne whose dipping effort didn’t miss by much.
Then on 51 minutes, Slough levelled. Tayt Trusty’s ball in midfield was cut out and Sam Evans ran a long way before his shot from a tight angle squirmed under Andre Jr.
Maidstone came close to going back in front just four minutes later. A corner from Brookes came to Trusty and his header hit the bar.
Brookes was involved again shortly after. Jon Benton played the ball to Corne whose cross just evaded Blair. It ran onto Brookes whose fierce left footed effort flew over.
Seaman then did well down the right to create room for a cross. Papadopoulos was in space inside the box but Seaman’s low ball in was comfortably gathered by Horlock. Then a free-kick from Brookes was met by Benton and his feint header went wide.
With six minutes remaining, Horlock denied Seaman whose header was going in and then just a minute later, Maidstone could have grabbed the winner. Benton passed to substitute Shaq Coulthirst who picked out Corne. Corne’s first effort was blocked and from the rebound, he drilled the ball wide of the left post.
Maidstone United: Aaron Blair 45
Slough Town: Sam Evans 51
Maidstone United:1. Alexis Andre Jr, 5.George Fowler, 2. Temi Eweka, 6. Raphe Brown (4. Reiss Greenidge 78), 3. Ben Brookes, 8. Sam Corne, 14. Tayt Trusty, 11. Charlie Seaman, 17. Jon Benton (16. Matt Bentley 90), 6. Antony Papadopoulos (10. Shaq Coulthirst 81), 9. Aaron Blair. Subs not used: 13. Lenny Holden, 18. Bivesh Gurung.
Slough Town: 1 Charlie Horlock, 2. Josh Jackman, 4. Lexus Beeden, 5. Dan Bayliss, 6. Jeanmal Prosper, 7. Gary Abisogun (23. David Ogbonna 71), 15. Henry Ochieng, 16. Dan Roth (12. Leon Chambers-Parillon 71), 10. John Gilbert, 9. Slavi Spasov (11. Francis Amartey 86), 19. Sam Evans (18. Kweku Lucan 76). Subs not used: 13. Ryan North.
