Maidstone United 1-1 Cray Wanderers - Its definitely a point won for us, admits Jenkins

Saturday 13th March 2010

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1-1 CRAY WANDERERS
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 13th March 2010
Mike Green reports from Homelands Stadium

HONOURS were even in the relegation battle at Homelands, although the result doesn’t really do either side any favours and left the two mangers disappointed and frustrated figures.

Peter Hawkins late strike cancelled out George Porter’s deflected first half drive, and with both sides striking the frame of the goal it was a fairly even game even if Cray Wanderers dominated for long periods without really testing the home defence.

“The most frustrating thing for us at the moment,” Stones boss Peter Nott admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, “is the amount of players that we’re still missing but in hindsight although we desperately needed three points today, with the players that we do have missing a point was probably the best that we could have hoped for.

“Chasing the game from a goal down I thought we showed tremendous character to get back into the game.”

The manager then explained the change in formation. “We were forced into playing 3-5-2 because we lost Ashley (Ulph) just before kick off – and with three in midfield and wing backs you’ve got to be wining the midfield battle,” he said.

“But that’s something that didn’t happen particularly in the first half, and I told the central midfield players at half time that it wasn’t good enough.

“We’ve got to be making the difference in there and after we put Dean (Rance) in there for the second half, and swapped James Peacock and Rob Lyall round it made a hell of a difference to our game.

“There are definite signs of recovery in our play. I wont make excuses, as we all know the level of quality that we’ve got on the treatment table at the minute, but if we can get those boys back, it’ll feel like we’ve made three or four new signings.

“We’ve just got to get us through this period that we’re in the middle of at the moment. Problem is that if a player is out for a week or two they’re missing four, five or even six games, and that’s the problem that we’ve got.

“I’ve got every confidence that once we get those boys back we’ll be all right. Meantime, the rest of the guys have got to come in and do their job – the position we’re in we cant afford to be carrying any passengers however young they are – they’re out there and they’ve got to do the business.”

Cray Wanderers boss Ian Jenkins was as frustrated as his counterpart. “I think we deserved to win the game on the chances that we created and were the better side – I think that they played their get out of jail free card today if I’m honest and they’ll be happier with the point than we are,” Jenkins admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

Reflecting on the game Jenkins said, “It was a very similar game to last weeks home defeat to Wealdstone. We controlled the game for sixty minutes and the a couple for mistakes and we’re two one down. It was as similar sort of thing today.

“Guesty (John Guest) getting injured was the key for me today – he stayed on the pitch when they scored – and we missed his dominance over the closing stages. We’ve played a side today who are one of the sides around us and we finish it as we started it – above them, and I must be happy with that. Its very much a point gained.”

Maidstone were quickest out of the blocks and only four minutes were on the clock when Ant Bodle bounced a header off the outside of the right post getting on the end of Steve Elliott’s corner.

Cray’s first chance of note came on 21 minutes when Stones keeper Andy Walker made a fine save to deny Lewis Wood after the diminutive striker had been brilliantly played in by Tommy Tyne.

Two minutes later the visitors were ahead. Jamie Wood’s square free kick was drilled goal wards by Porter and the ball took a vicious ricochet off of Lyall and beyond the diving Walker.

Maidstone could have levelled within moments though but the feet of Cray keeper Tony Kessell denied Alex Tiesse after a mistake from Mark Willy.

Cray then bossed the remainder of the first half and should really have been in front my more at the break. The reason they weren’t was down to poor finishing – Porter’s free header straight at Walker when the striker should have scored – and an astonishing one handed save from the Stones keeper.

A Des Boateng long cross was flicked on by Guest and somehow, Walker tipped the ball over the bar with his left hand.

The second half wasn’t the best of adverts for Ryman League football and the first chance of any note came with just 17 minutes remaining.

Luckett played Bremner in down Cray’s left, and the striker burst away from Peacock and Hawkins only to be denied by a smart block from keeper Walker. From the corner, Willy’s looping header beat Walker comprehensively and bounced off the top of the bar.

Even after changing their front line completely – Stimson and Rowland came on for Tiesse and Hockton, the Stones still couldn’t get any sort of service going to their front men, and their equaliser six minutes from time came almost out of the blue.

With Guest hobbling, Cray cleared a Maidstone corner, but when the ball was played into the box, it fell to Hawkins who drilled the ball beyond the wrong-footed Kessell and into the net.

The Stones now face another home game on Tuesday against an inconsistent Horsham side. “We’ve seen Horsham play Waltham Abbey the other night," Nott said. "Hopefully if they produce a similar performance to that on Tuesday when I didn’t think that they travelled very well, then we’ve got every chance.

“But if they produce the type of performances that we know that they can, then we get a hell of a game on our hands!

“They’ve got themselves right up to the edge of the Play offs but have lost a few recently and are unpredictable, but so are we and so is the league. There are not many teams who are putting runs together which is why its all so tight."

Cray meanwhile welcome Aveley to Hayes Lane the same night. “They’re a funny side,” Jenkins admitted. “Sometimes they travel and sometimes they don’t. But we know what to expect as we played them opening day of the season and I’ve seen them play a few times this year as its relatively easy for me to get through the Tunnel to see them.

“They’re a good strong side who have got goal scorers – its going to be tough for us undoubtedly, but if we can play like we did today and put some of the chances away, I hope that we’ll be OK.”

Maidstone United: Andy Walker, Rob Lyall, Roland Edge, Any Bodle, Peter Hawkins, James Peacock, Steve Elliott (Antonio Gonella 63), Craig Stone, Alex Tiesse (Lynden Rowland 69), Danny Hockton (Charlie Stimson 61), Dean Rance.

Goal: Peter Hawkins 84

Booked: Dean Rance 28, James Peacock 73

Cray Wanderers: Tony Kessell, Aaron Day, Colin Luckett, Des Boeteng, Mark Willy, John Guest (Gio Fulloni 84), Jamie Wood, Tommy Tyne, Leigh Bremner, Lewis Wood, George Porter.

Subs: Richard Morgan, Khankie Charles, Ross Lover, Ian Jenkins.

Goal: George Porter 23

Booked: Jamie Wood 37

Attendance: 263

Referee: Mr Tim Robinson (Bognor Regis, West Sussex)

Assistants: Mr Barrie Small (Bognor Regis, West Sussex) & Mr Mark Lucie (Havant, Hampshire)