Maidstone United 2-1 Corinthian-Casuals - This was Greame Andrews' best game for the club - Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED  2-1  CORINTHIAN-CASUALS
Ryman League Division One South
Monday 26^th December 2011
Mike Green reports from Bourne Park

A farcical piece of defending gifted Maidstone United their first league win in six weeks and it as the Corinthian-Casuals defenders who proved that the season of good will hasn't quite come to an end.


With the game evenly poised at 1-1 with six minutes to go, a long ball was drilled forward towards the Casuals goal looking for Alex Waugh, who had been asked to act as the lone striker by boss Jay Saunders in the absence of Shaun Welford through suspension. 

Waugh initially seemed second or even third favourite to get the ball behind defender Danny Green and keeper Adam Peck got in a terrible tangle and Waugh took full advantage to roll his 11th goal of the season into the empty net as the Stones came from the edge of the box.
 
In truth although the game was pleasing on the eye, the Stones were possibly fortunate to come away with all three points - a point that indeed manager Saunders admitted. 

"We didn't play very well in the first half at all, and we told them so at half time and to be fair to them they responded just as we asked them to,” he said. 

Even so, three points looked a long way off for the Stones at the break. "I'd have taken the "goal" from Flish's (of which more in a while) but then as that’s a first win for a while, I suppose we'll take that. 

“I just want the players now to take that same determination into Saturday and into the New Year."
 
Although the game began in a probing fashion, there were few clear chances early on - Alex Flisher shot straight at Casuals keeper Peck; Stones skipper Graeme Andrews was within inches of slicing Gavin Quintyre's cross into his own net;  Ellis Green then volleyed wide before the home side were indebted to Danny Lye for clearing Joe Hicks' header off of the goal to keep the scoreline blank.
 
That seemed to galvanise the visitors to the next level as on 24 minutes the Stones were thankful not once but twice to keeper Daren Hawkes. 

First the keepers right boot denied Steve Barilla, before the keeper produced a truly splendid save to keep out the Casuals' strikers follow up - plunging away to his left to turn a decent shot wide for a corner.
 
The home side didn’t heed the warning as they did go behind on 29 minutes, when the impressive Saheed Sankou cut in from the left and curled a shot beyond Hawkes and into the corner of the net.
 
Andrews almost got his side level before half time but saw a header scrambled off the line by Peck before hooking the rebound over the bar.  Silence greeted the half time whistle and it was more a question, it seemed, of the home fans disbelief that their side had played so poorly.
 
The second half began, very evenly with chances at both ends - Barilla forced Hawkes into another fine save before Tom Mills blasted a cross across the face of the Casuals goal just to far in front of Waugh and the sliding Elli Green, and then Sankoh almost netted a spectacular second - a dipping thirty yard drive.
 
On 66 minutes there could have been a very controversial moment - but for some excellent refereeing from Mr Ian Bentley. 

Flisher launched a long throw into the Casuals box which totally deceived keeper Peck and dropped into the net.  Initially, the crowd and home players celebrated the goal, but it was evident that Mr Bentley wasn't sure and so after consultations with his assistant Mr Paul Beadle, the "goal" was rightly chalked off!
 
The Stones really sensed it wasn't going to be their day, but that feeling changed on 72 minutes when skipper Andrews was on hand to bundle home Flisher's free kick at the back-post. 

"I said to Graeme that I needed him to step up," said Saunders, "and you know I think he did today.  I've just told him in the dressing room that I thought today was the best game he's played for the club.  He was outstanding at the back and got the goal that got us back in the game!"
 
The Stones then upped the tempo and all of a sudden the comfortable looking Casuals defence looked decidedly shaky - balls into the box were being scrambled away instead of being thumped to safety, and keeper Peck began to look under pressure for every cross he came for. 

And then six minutes from time came Waugh's moment of opportunism, and the home side had the lead for the first time, and they duly held on to seal what could yet prove to be three very important points indeed.
 
The cheer that greeted referee Bentley's final whistle highlighted that with a near year beckoning, the three points may well have kick started Maidstone's season - although 2011 doesn't end on Saturday with Whitstable Town next on Jay Saunders' side agenda - things certainly do look a lot rosier for the Stones.

Maidstone United:  Daren Hawkes, Tommy Osborne, Tom Mills, Lee Gledhill, Graeme Andrews, Danny Lye, Ellis Green, Michael Phillips (James Pinnock 63), Alex Waugh, Sam Bewick, Alex Flisher.
Subs:  Jay Saunders, Ash Greenwood, Sam Groombridge, Marc Powell
 
Booked:  Michael Phillips 27
 
Goals: Graeme Andrews 72, Alex Waugh 84

Corinthian-Casuals:  Adam Peck, Scott Hassell, Matt Ellis, Joe Hicks, Wayne Finnine, Danny Green, Jamel Carr, Saheed Sankou, Steve Barilli, Gabriel Adesina, Gavin Quintyre (Sam Labinjo 82).
Sub: Joe Davies
 
Goal: Saheed Sankou 28
 
Attendance:  347
Referee: Mr Ian Bentley (West Wickham)
Assistants: Mr Karl May (Gillingham) & Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)