Maidstone United 2-3 Bognor Regis Town - Gifted goals has cost us, admits Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED  2-3  BOGNOR REGIS TOWN
The FA Cup with Budweiser Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 1^st October 2011
Paul Parkinson reports from Bourne Park

MAIDSTONE UNITED exited this season’s FA Cup, beaten by a strong, fluent Bognor Regis Town side who benefited from two calamitous defensive errors to take a 3-0 lead, before a stirring fight-back gave the home side hopes of salvaging a draw.  


In truth, Bognor Regis Town deservedly progressed, constantly hitting Maidstone with long balls over the back four in the first half and controlling play for long periods.

Maidstone United boss, Jay Saunders, having withdrawn himself from the action at half-time, reflected on the performance saying, “I look at the second half and we looked like a different side.  

“I was frustrated first half that we didn’t get the ball down and play, and we gave them too much time.  We’ve proved second half that we can knock it about, one and two touch, and we looked a good side. I thought Jimmy (Humphris) and Alex Flisher came on and did really well.”

“If it wasn’t for the two goals we’ve given away, on another day, we would have won that game.  With the first one, Charlie (Mitten) thought the ball had gone out, but I think you’ve got to play to the whistle, and he’s apologised to the boys.  For the second one the ball has just bobbled under his foot.  He’s gutted, but a couple of minutes later he’s pulled off a great save.”

Having scoring nine in each of the last two rounds, Maidstone started quickly with Shaun Welford, looking to add to his eight goal tally in the FA Cup, seeing his header deflect wide off Stuart Axten.  

Then Nick Reeves’ header cannoned off the outside of the post from the Stones’ second corner.  But this was as good as it was to get in the first half, as Bognor Regis got into their stride and started picking passes almost at will.

Jason Prior, a powerful target man, and Terry Dodd, always lively and looking to exploit space behind defenders, were proving to be a real handful for Reeves and Graeme Andrews.  

Prior had two early chances, firing a weak shot on the angle straight at Charlie Mitten, then attempting a header from the edge of the box that cleared both the keeper and crossbar.

It was little surprise that Bognor made the breakthrough after 19 minutes, and that Dodd was involved.  

A long clearance from Craig Stoner was flicked on by Prior to Dodd, who exchanged a one-two with Ben Johnson to get in behind Reeves, then struck a low left-footed shot in off the back post.

The visitors doubled their advantage five minutes later, but both Reeves and keeper Mitten will want to forget their parts in the goal.  

Dodd took the ball past Reeves before dribbling along the deadball line, beating Mitten’s attempted block at the near post, and tapping into the empty net.

James Crane, overlapping from left full back, hit a weak effort at Mitten just before the half hour, then Prior directed a free header wide, but for the remainder of the half, neither side could really exert any consistent pressure.

After making changes at the break, withdrawing himself for tactical reasons and Danny Lye to protect an injury, Saunders saw his half-time talk go out of the window on 49 minutes.  

Reeves fired a back pass while under pressure from Prior, and Mitten could only look on aghast as the ball bobbled over his attempted clearance and rolled into the net.

After Axten headed over from Bognor’s first corner of the half, Tom Mills gave the hosts hope on 56  minutes.  

A free-kick from Mitten saw Flisher challenge Jon Marzetti and the ball broke to Mills who powered into the area and drilled a low shot beyond Stoner.

Mitten was able to redeem himself saving smartly from another Prior header.  But aside from another weak shot from Crane, the Stones’ keeper was able to watch the remainder of the game in relative comfort as Maidstone took control.

Welford benefited on good work from Ellis Green twice, but saw one shot deflected wide, then scooped a first time effort high over the bar before Baff Addae hit his seventh goal of the season (and 5th in three FA Cup games).  

Addae, who was voted the Player of the Round following his hat-trick over Banstead Athletic, latched onto Humphris’ pass, turned Tim Bond and fired a left foot shot into the bottom corner to give Maidstone hope on 83 minutes.

With four minutes to go, Maidstone thought they might have an equaliser as Karl Knight’s attempted cross deflected off Axten and Stoner had to make a brave catch as he collided with the post.  

Then in stoppage time, Addae’s cross appeared to strike the arm of a Bognor defender, but despite raucous appeals from players and supporters alike, the incident was waved away.

Saunders was realistic after the game, saying, “We’re in it together, we’ll go again on Wednesday and that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”

Maidstone United:  Charlie Mitten, Tommy Osborne, Tom Mills, Nick Reeves, Graeme Andrews (Karl Knight 64), Danny Lye (Jimmy Humphris 46), Ellis Green, Jay Saunders (Alex Flisher 46), Shaun Welford, Baff Addae, Sam Bewick.
Subs:  James Pinnock, Alex Waugh, Peter Gill

Goals: Tom Mills 56, Baff Addae 83

Bognor Regis Town:  Craig Stoner, Jon Marzetti (Matt Whitehead 59), James Crane, Chris Breach (Lewis Ide 46), Stuart Axten, Tim Bond, Dan Beck, Kane Wills, Jason Prior, Terry Dodd (Luke Nightingale 72), Ben Johnson.
Subs:  Darryl Wollens, Jack Blatchford.

Goals: Jason Dodd 19, 24, Nick Reeves  49 (own goal)

Attendance: 386
Referee: Mr Stuart Franklin (Wickford, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Thomas Brooks (Dagenham, Essex) and Mr Patrick Shanahan (Romford, Essex)