Maidstone United 2-1 Tonbridge Angels

Maidstone United deservedly went into the interval with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of left-winger Nick Hegley scoring his second goal of the season, after just eight minutes.

But the Stones failed to kill the game off, and this allowed Tonbridge Angels back into the game when Jon Main netted his sixth goal of the season - against the run of play - with nine minutes remaining.

Maidstone United, meanwhile, bagged their second league win of the season, just three minutes later when substitute Luis Cumbers, a nineteen-year-old striker, whose on work experience from League One club Gillingham, marked an impressive debut with the winning goal - to the delight of the majority of the Stones’ highest crowd of the season so far.



DEBUT WINNER:  Luis Cumbers, 19, whose on a month's work-experience loan deal from Gillingham, scored Maidstone United's winning goal against Tonbridge Angels

Photograph courtesy of Steve Terrell - www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Today’s defeat at Bourne Park, means Tonbridge Angels have now lost their last four league games, and manager Tony Dolby locked his players inside the dressing room, before emerging at 6pm.

Dolby’s men had the first chance of the game after seven minutes, when Robbie Kember drilled a left-footed shot past the foot of the post from 20-yards.

But Maidstone United drew first blood, scoring from their first shot on goal, just a minute later.

A superb diagonal pass from Nathan Paul, who was playing at right-midfield as recent signing from Chatham Town, Darren Smith was playing in an unfamiliar position at right-back, found Hegley, who, after twisting and turning Angels’ right-back Scott Gooding, rifled the ball into the top far-corner from ten-yards.

Tonbridge Angels, meanwhile, went close in the 18^th minute, courtesy of a cross from the right by-line from Richard Harris.

Harris, signed from Bromley as a central defender, partnered Main up front, whilst Ray Powell started the game at left-back, whipped in a cross for Ryan Martin, who stabbed his shot just past the foot of the left-post.

And at the other end, Welshman Andy Martin, who played for Tonbridge Angels at the beginning of last season, sent a towering header over the bar, following an accurate cross from Hegley.

The Stones forced Angels goalkeeper Matt Reed into action after 24 minutes.

Lee Shearer, who along with Mario McNish were excellent at the heart of Maidstone’s defence, keeping Main quiet during the first half, drove a long-range shot into the keeper’s grateful arms.

And Maidstone United squandered a good chance to double their lead with four first half minutes remaining.

Powell’s clearance was charged down by Paul, who exchanged a one-two with Andy Martin.

Paul, formerly of Beckenham Town, burst into the penalty area but his low centre was over hit and went past Lynden Rowland, and the chance was gone.

After Main was fouled by McNish on the stroke of half-time, Ryan Martin’s left-footed free-kick on the right-hand side of the penalty area, arrowed just over the top of the far post.

The visitors created a couple of chances on the stroke of half-time; Scott Kinch’s right-footed volley was blocked by McNish inside the six-yard box, and Powell’s looping header was plucked out of the air by Stones goalkeeper, Pat Mullin.

Maidstone United, however, fully deserved their single goal advantage at the break.

But Cumbers made an instant impression for his new side, when he replaced Errison Ahwan at the break.

The Chelmsford based striker was played in by Paul and with his first touch of the ball, his shot was tipped over by Reed - after just TEN seconds into the second half.

And after just 52 seconds into the second half, Rowland headed Andy Martin’s cross over the bar, as Maidstone United should have put the game beyond the Angels’ reach.

Shot-shy Angels, meanwhile, were off target in the 51^st minute after Kinch cracked a half-volley inside the penalty area, which ended up closer to the corner flag than Mullin’s goal.

Tonbridge made their first substitution after 54 minutes when Hamid Barr replaced make-shift frontman, Harris.

But Shearer, who was left unmarked in a deep position at the far post, nodded Andy Martin’s fifth corner of the game, after 59 minutes, past the near post.

Now with all three substitutes on the pitch, Tonbridge Angels lacked the killer touch with 21 minutes remaining.

Ryan Martin burst forward, exchanging a one-two with Main, but Martin stabbed his shot towards goal from 20-yards, and this was never going to trouble Mullin.

Main squandered an excellent chance to claw Tonbridge level with 12 minutes remaining.

For the first time in the game, Main, who scored a record breaking 44 goals last season, got in front of McNish, the big central defender, but could only stab Barr’s low centre from the right, into the goalkeeper’s grateful arms.

But that was to be a warning from the prolific hit-man, as Main grabbed an equaliser with just nine minutes remaining.

His shot out of the blue from 20-yards took a deflection of McNish’s legs at the near-post and this crept inside the foot of the near-post with Mullin beaten, to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Tonbridge only started playing when they had all three substitutes on the pitch.

But Maidstone United deservedly bagged all three points just three minutes later.

McNish lashed a shot towards goal, and Reed did brilliantly to keep out, but Cumbers was on hand to tuck the ball home from six-yards, sending the home fans wild.

The impressive teenage striker should have wrapped up a fine Maidstone display late on.

Smith’s fine tackle inside his penalty area thwarted Barr making progress, and the former Chatham Town star lumped the ball forward.

The ball was latched onto by Cumbers, and with two attackers facing three defenders at one stage, Cumbers burst towards goal.

And he was denied his second debut goal when the advancing Reed made a smart save.

Maidstone United’s second league win of the season sees them leapfrog the Angels and are now third from bottom in the table.

But joint-manager Lloyd Hume still has a soft-spot for one of his former clubs, but was delighted with the win.

“I think we deserved the three points,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk  afterwards. “It was going to be a tough game, I knew it was going to be close, but to be fair, I think we had the lions share of chances.

“I was disappointed when they scored because I thought we should have been more than one-nil up at that point and we weren’t and the way our lucks been going this season, I felt “here we go again.”

“But to be fair to the lads, and credit to them, they picked themselves up and got ourselves back in it and got ourselves a (winning) goal.”

Hume added: “I had no joy beating Tonbridge because it’s an old club of mine.

“I played there when I was a youngster, we managed there a few years ago, so that wasn’t the joy. The joy was getting three points, that we really needed.

“I’ve got an affiliation with Tonbridge in the past and I don’t take any pleasure from getting three points from them and I hope they get the results they need to sort of climb up the table as well.

“What I’d hate to do is any one of us Kent teams go down, because local derbies are great for football.

“We got a good crowd down here today, good atmosphere and hopefully that will continue through this season and next.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk would like to congratulate the performance of referee Mr John O’Brien (Wimbledon), who handled this west Kent derby excellently - only booking one player from each side, and allowed the players to perform.

Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Darren Smith, Ray Freeman, Errison Ahwan (Luis Cumbers 45), Mario McNish, Lee Shearer, Nathan Paul, Rob Owen, Andy Martin, Lynden Rowland (Jamie Maxton 81), Nick Hegley (James Peacock 76)
Subs: Jimmy Strouts, Chris Peck.

Goals: Nick Hegley 8, Luis Cumbers 84

Booked: Rob Owen 74

Tonbridge Angels: Matt Reed, Scott Gooding, Richard Harris (Hamid Barr 54), Robbie Kember (Anthony Storey 60), James Donovan, John Beales, Tommy Tyne (Jon Heath 67), Scott Kinch, Ray Powell, Jon Main, Ryan Martin.
Subs: Fraser Logan, Kirk Hushu.

Goals: Jon Main 81

Booked: Scott Kinch 86

Attendance: 528
Referee: Mr John O’Brien (Wimbledon)
Assistants: Mr Ronnie Albert (Catford) & Mr Paul Kelly (Walderslade)