Maidstone United 1-0 Bognor Regis Town - The Stones are staying up!

Thursday 22nd April 2010

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1-0 BOGNOR REGIS TOWN
Ryman Premier League
Thursday 22nd April 2010
Mike Green reports from Homelands Stadium

AFTER one of the most turbulent seasons in the club’s history, it was perhaps ironic that a man named Stone settled Maidstone United’s survival in the Ryman Premier League.

Adrian Stone, who of course used to play for the Stones landlords Ashford Town at Homelands, was the hero as just two minutes after half time he managed to get in behind the Bognor defence and drill the ball low beyond keeper Anthony Ender and into the bottom corner of the net.

Stone’s strike sparked scenes of celebration that are seldom seen except at this stage of the season, and in the end proved so crucial.

And lets not forget also consigned not only Bognor to relegation but also confirmed that Iain O’Connell’s Margate would not finish outside the bottom four.

After the game, the striker was highly delighted as he spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

He said: “It was a very important goal and I’m proud for myself to get it. But we deserved it I think as we’ve had a few bad results recently, but tonight I’m happy for everyone.

“I’ve been mucked about this season by a couple of clubs and when I spoke to the gaffer he promised me first team football and that was good enough for me – I’m getting old so need to play, and these fans are quality!

“It’s been up and down in the dressing room. But then we won two games in a row and were buzzing before losing at Hendon on Monday night, which made tonight so important – the performance wasn’t the best but we’re staying up and that’s the main thing!”

And how right Stone is – after struggling for the past few weeks the Stones fans can start planning for next season in the Ryman Premier League.

But throughout the night the nerves were there for all to see as both sides came to terms with the fact that one mistake could cost their respective side their Premier League place.

It took until the 24th minutes for the first real chance – Stone being inches away from dispossessing keeper Ender as the Bognor stopper raced from his goal to clear.

Moments later, an Antonio Gonella corner was flicked on just beyond two Amber boots flying in, and then Chris Saunders let fly from the edge of the box, and a motionless ender was relieved to see the ball whistle past his right post.

Then came Stone’s moment of glory as he crashed Maidstone into a 47th minute lead. Indeed the striker should have probably put the game beyond Bognor ten minutes later as Bognor keeper Ender and Mickey Deleterious got into a terrible mess 10 yards outside the box. The ball feel to Stone who delightfully lobbed the ball over the hapless pair, but looked on in horror as the ball bounced and then flew off the bar straight into the arms of a grateful Ender.

Bognor with their Premier Division status slowly ebbing away finally began to press, and Deleterious was unlucky to see Saunders hack his header off the line with keeper Andy Walker statuesque.

The luckless Deleterious then missed the golden chance that the visitors craved in the 86th minute – the ball dropped to the defender in the box, but as he struggled to get the ball onto his right foot the chance was gone…

Peter Nott was charged with keeping the Stones in the Division and this was his night, as he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game.

He said: “We’ve done and would liked to have done it in a bit more style, but we’ve done it and that’s the important thing tonight,” beamed Maidstone’s caretaker boss.

“With the team that we’ve got we shouldn’t have been in the position in the first place. But we’ve won three of the last four when it really mattered, and we’ve dug in. It’s been like full time job that has been frustrating yet at the same time I’ve enjoyed it. That’s what we were aiming for and we’ve done it.

“We’ve a good bunch of boys and we’ve got to move open now as a club a big as this one shouldn’t be down there in that position. We got ourselves into it and now we’ve got to get ourselves out of it totally.

“I just feel that with the team that we’ve got we shouldn’t have been down there anyway! We have been down there and when it really mattered we’ve got ourselves out of it.”

Whilst there was a happy air around Homelands, the mood at Hartsdown Park as news seeped through couldn’t have been pleasant, but Nott was magnanimous with his comments as he said, “All the Kent club’s try and stick together and it’s a shame when one falls as Margate have tonight, but I’ve got to be selfish and thank that its not us.

“You have to look after your own and you’ve seen the reaction tonight, as it wasn’t us. I’ll be very happy to sit down with the Chairman and discuss things as there’s a few things that we need to sort out but yes I would like to carry on next season.”

Maidstone United: Andy Walker, Nathan Paul, Jermaine Darlington, James Peacock (Ant Bodle 46), Peter Hawkins, Roland edge, Chris Saunders, Rob Lyall (Ashley Ulph 71), Adrian Stone, Danny Hockton (Keelan Mooney 81), Antonio Gonella.

Subs: Tom Parkinson, Adam Harris.

Goal: Adrian Stone 47

Booked: Antonio Gonella 40, James Peacock 45, Jermaine Darlington 90

Bognor Regis Town: Anthony Ender, James Crane, Patrick Cox, Matt Wood, Tim Bind, Mickey DeMetrious, Ryan Thomson, Mick Birmingham, Jason Prior, Charlie Marshall, Guy Rutherford.

Subs: Harry Bowles, Lewis Ide, Charlie Oatway, Jamie Hignell, Darin Kirkpatrick.

Booked: Mick Birmingham 53, Tim Bond 86

Attendance: 246

Referee: Mr Martin Yerby (Ashford)

Assistants: Mr Saul Kay (Sittingbourne) & Mr Lee Dyson (Gravesend)