Cray Wanderers 1-2 Maidstone United

Tuesday 16th January 2007

CRAY WANDERERS 1-2 MAIDSTONE UNITED
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 16^th January 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane Maidstone United pushed themselves into the top six in the Ryman League Division One South table after they completed the double over Kent rivals Cray Wanderers at Hayes Lane.
The Stones squandered a whole host of chances during a one-sided first half as they stretched their unbeaten run to eight games.

But they were stunned when their hosts broke the deadlock, against the run of play, when Ross Lover scored his fourth goal of the season after 62 minutes.

But two headed goals during the last nineteen minutes secured a deserved victory for the Stones, although Lynden Rowland’s equaliser was hotly-disputed before Errison Ahwan sealed the win.

Maidstone United relished playing on the excellent playing surface at Hayes Lane, setting their attacking stall out from the off.

Impressive left-winger Nick Hegley cut the ball back to Craig Roser, who whipped in a low cross and it found it’s way to Nathan Paul at the far post but he was denied by a fine block from Wands’ goalkeeper, Steve Northwood.

Then, another cross from Roser was met by Simon Austin but his header from six-yards out flew just over the bar.

Jason Barton teed up a chance for Hegley, whose deflected 25^th minute shot looped over Northwood’s bar as the visitors dominated.

Alex Tiesse then drilled a right-footed shot past the far post from fifteen yards and then Maidstone squandered another chance when Barton’s left-footed shot rolled wide.

It took Cray Wanderers 37 minutes to register their first shot on goal.

Welsh striker, Andy Martin, who joined the club from Tonbridge Angels earlier this month, dragged his shot agonisingly past the foot of the far post from just eight-yards out.

Northwood tipped over Aaron Lacy’s 25-yard effort before Cray Wanderers almost scored from their first corner of the game with two first half minutes remaining.

Lover delivered a superb right-footed corner towards the near post but Julian Curnow, who was unmarked, could not direct his header on target.

Cray Wanderers, meanwhile, rekindled their attacking play during the second half and midfielder Danny Whelan’s 30-yard effort flew just over Pat Mullin’s crossbar after the Stones cleared Colin Luckett’s cross.

Lacy sprayed an excellent pin-point diagonal pass for Hegley on the left hand side after 59 minutes.

Hegley cut in from the left and his left-footed shot from 20-yards dropped into Northwood’s grateful arms.

But Cray Wanderers were to break the deadlock, against the run of play, just three minutes later.

Martin got away with pushing Mario McNish some 25-yards from the by-line and once there, was pushed by full-back, Nathan Paul.

Expecting a free-kick to be awarded by New Addlington based referee Mr Robert Smith nearer the by-line, the free-kick was taken where the initial incident took place – although it appeared that it was a Maidstone player that was fouled.

Lover curled a right-footed free-kick from 25-yards, which bounced just once and found the net at the near post with Mullin stranded.

“I don’t think you can blame the defence for that,” Stones’ joint manager Alan Walker told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game.

“Pat decides whether he wants a wall or not there. He’s got Lacy standing there and he said Aaron’s moved but at the same time Pat’s have got to be aware of that and cover that.

“At the end of the day, you have to give the lad a bit of credit – it was a great free-kick.”

Controversy struck when Maidstone deservedly levelled proceedings with nineteen minutes left.

Hegley sent over a cross from the left by-line and Rowland found the net with a cushioned header from close range, although he pushed Luckett to meet the excellent cross.

The goal sparked protests from the incensed Cray players, at one time five were surrounding assistant referee, Mr Simon Finnigan.

Lewis Wood was shown a yellow card for his troubles, and was immediately substituted.

“It was a push, I think everyone saw it,” Cray Wanderers’ manager Ian Jenkins said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I said to the lino did he see it? He said: “it wasn’t a push”.

Jenkins added: “If he hadn’t seen anything then I can understand that but at the end of the day we didn’t deserve to win.

“They were the better side and they deserved what they got out of the game.”

Mullin made amends for gifting Cray the lead by making two fine saves which were sandwiched in between their winning goal.

Mullin did well to keep out Lover’s snap shot on the edge of the penalty area and then produced a one-handed save to deny veteran striker, substitute, Gary Abbott.

The winning goal duly came with nine minutes remaining.

Lacy burst to the edge of the Cray penalty area and his cross was met by Ahwan’s header, which drifted into the left hand corner to seal a deserved win, pleasing Walker.

“I thought they were disappointing tonight but I think it was us that made them look disappointing,” he said.

“To be fair, I thought we dominated the game from start to finish and thoroughly deserved the three points.”

Speaking about their controversial equaliser, Walker said: “They got a goal, I think totally against the run of play and we’ve managed to fight back.

“I know what they’ll argue about. They’ll argue about Lynden Rowland’s equaliser, which for me was a blatant free-kick.

“But I would say the free-kick the referee gave on Mario Celaire for their goal, which was blatantly the opposite way round like – it’s swings and roundabouts.”

But Walker, whose side won the Kent League title last season, was pleased that his side join Kent rivals Dartford, Dover Athletic and Sittingbourne around the play-off picture.

“We stated our intentions at the beginning of the season to solidify and get ourselves a firm footing in the league,” he said.

“We feel we are a side that is possibly capable of getting into the play-off’s and we’re going to try and finish as high as we can.

“If it means the play-off’s, we will try our best to finish as high as we possibly can for this club.”

A disappointed Jenkins, meanwhile, will lift his troops as they look forward to Molesey’s visit to Hayes Lane on Saturday.

The long-serving servant to the club hasn’t ruled out a push towards the play-off’s themselves, as he aims to win their games in hand.

Seven days ago, Abbott’s brace saw off Boreham Wood to reach the semi-finals of the Westview Cup.

But Jenkins wants his side to replicate their league cup form in the league.
He said: “We created a lot more (chances) second half, happy with that. But at the end of the day they had more chances than us.

“They put two away, we put one away, so they deserved to win the game. I can’t fault that. We just weren’t good enough tonight.

“We just need to lift ourselves and play a bit better than what we have been.

“We’ve had a couple of good games and then we just lack. I don’t know what it is, but we do.

“Hopefully the players will react on Saturday, have a good game and get a result.”

Jenkins, meanwhile, admitted he would swap a possible league cup final for promotion into the Ryman Premier League.

“I’d rather get promotion, that’s my aim,” he said. “To get to a cup final is nice for everyone but at the end of the day, I’d rather get promotion all day long.

“If we can put that form in that cup in our league then we’ll be allright.

“I can’t see why the players want to play so well in that cup and don’t do it in the league, which is a bigger thing to win, the league title, that’s what I’m here for.”

Promotion or a play-off place? “You can’t rule it out. We’ve got loads of games in hand, you know that.

“We’ve lost tonight but we’re five points behind Maidstone and we’ve got games in hand on teams.

“If we go on a run, which is possible, we have a good squad, then we’ll get into the play-offs, no two ways about that.

“We will get into the play-off’s if we go on a run. We’ve got a big enough squad and there’s players coming back so we’ll probably be able to handle it.”

Walker, though, expects his side to beat Godalming Town at Bourne Park on Saturday.

He added: “We’ve got enough quality within the side to score goals. Look at the three players we brought on today, Mo Takaloo, Lynden Rowland and Sam Tydeman, arguably our three best players.

“That just shows how strong we are at the moment and we look really good for it.”

Cray Wanderers: Steve Northwood, David Hall, Colin Luckett, Al-James Hannigan (Barry Gardner 80), Julian Curnow, Dean Morris, Ross Lover, Jamie Wood (Gary Abbott 55), Danny Whelan, Andy Martin, Lewis Wood (Matt Lee 73).
Subs: Chris Eather, Adam Young.

Goal: Ross Lover 62

Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Jason Barton (Sam Tydeman 69), Mario McNish, Ryan Royston, Aaron Lacy, Errison Ahwan, Alex Tiesse (Mo Takaloo 55), Simon Austin (Lynden Rowland 55), Nick Hegley.
Subs: Kane Rice, Michal Czanner.

Goals: Lynden Rowland 71, Errison Ahwan 81

Attendance: 297
Referee: Mr Robert Smith (New Addlington)
Assistants: Mr Paul Harris & Simon Finnigan