Maidstone United 3-0 Chipstead - We've not been at our best, admits table-topping Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED 3-0 CHIPSTEAD
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 30^th October 2012
Paul Parkinson reports from James Whatman Way

MAIDSTONE UNITED climbed to the top of Ryman League Division One South table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Chipstead in front of their second highest crowd of the season, 1,623 -and The Stones have scored at least three goals for the sixth successive match.


Although Chipstead played some attractive one-touch football, it was the home side that was more clinical with Ian Draycott’s double making it five goals in his last five games.

Goals from Alex Flisher and Draycott at either end of the first half gave Maidstone a two goal lead at the break, and Draycott, making light of the absence of 17-goal leading scorer Paul Booth, added a third half way through the second half to seal the win.

But despite the result, Maidstone boss Jay Saunders wasn’t completely satisfied, as he said after the game: “I was fuming at half-time. We were 2-0 up but I wasn’t happy with the performance at all.

“I don’t think we got going tonight and that is the second midweek game running where I don’t think we’ve been at our best; and that’s frustrating. But we’ve won and looked quite solid. Away from home, we’re playing some good football, but it’s not really happening for us at the moment.

“I thought second half it was (a great team performance defensively), but I told the boys I wasn’t happy with the first half. I didn’t think we got tight enough and we had to change our shape slightly because they were getting so much of the ball. I don’t like doing that, I prefer teams to worry more about us. But to be fair to the lads, they’ve come out second half and I don’t think Chipstead had much of the ball and that was down to the work-rate we put in.””

When asked if the size of the crowd affected his team, Saunders explained: “I think teams are coming here and they are enjoying it (playing in front of large crowds); there’s no pressure on them. I think that is a big factor in it as maybe there is an expectation to roll teams over because we are Maidstone, and teams are coming here, looking at the pitch and thinking we’ll go and enjoy it. I don’t doubt that had we played Chipstead on their pitch or another ground, they wouldn’t have played the same way tonight. Although they’ve kept the ball well, they haven’t really caused us problems tonight.””

Although Chipstead left-back Bruce Hogg flashed a drive past Charlie Mitten’s right post, the goalkeeper looked unconcerned, and it was Maidstone that took the lead with their first meaningful attack.

Graeme Andrews’ ball forward was flicked on by Shaun Welford into the path of Flisher, and the Maidstone left-winger drove his shot between Chipstead keeper Martin Grant and his right post from a narrow angle to register his seventh goal of the season.

When asked whether this was intended as a cross or a shot, Saunders admitted: “Flish has scored a few of those this season; he meant it. That was pleasing and it set us off to a good start, but then we sat off them all over the pitch.””

Mitten was called into action, saving full-length to his left to deny a drive from Shaun Preddie, and from a right wing corner, Dan Dean climbed highest but his header dropped past the left post. In reply, Grant pulled off a save to deny Welford, after Flisher’s cross found the Stones’ skipper at the back post.

From a Maidstone free kick, Chipstead counter-attacked quickly, but James McShane’s weak shot was easily gathered by Mitten.

This was a rare attack, as Maidstone’s players worked hard all over the pitch to deny the visitors space; at one stage forcing Chipstead back from the edge of the Maidstone area, into playing the ball back to Grant, who miskicked his clearance into touch.

At the end of the half, Ashley Lodge dragged a shot wide, before Sam Bewick released Welford, who squared the ball to Flisher, whose first time left-foot drive swerved just past the left hand post.

But Maidstone doubled their lead with virtually the last kick of the half. Bewick clipped a cross into the area, and Draycott, having over-run the ball and with his back to goal 12 yards out, somehow managed to flick the ball over his shoulder, over Grant’s despairing dive, and in under the bar.

The start of the second half was a scrappy affair, with a Nicky Humphrey header that dropped wide after Grant had missed his punch the only chance of note.

Chipstead replacement Connor French, a more mobile threat than target-man Rob Haworth, sliced a shot wide before the Chipstead keeper Grant pulled off a stunning save to keep the deficit at two. Tom Mills’’ free kick drew Grant to the edge of the box, but the ball broke to Bewick, who lofted a cross to the back post. Flisher did well to pull the ball back, and Welford’s powerful shot was somehow parried away by the recovering Grant.

Maidstone sealed the game on 73 minutes, as the hosts capitalised on some woeful Chipstead defending. A poor clearance fell to Bewick midway inside the Chipstead half, and the midfielder slid the ball through to Draycott, whose delicious chip went over Grant’s dive and rolled into the net.

And Saunders had to admit: “I had confidence in Drakes scoring goals. The first one, he said he meant it; I’m not so sure, I’d like to see a replay of it, but the second one was a great finish. I know when I signed the forwards at the beginning of the season some people raised their eyebrows, and asked how do I keep them happy? But Boothy is out today, Draycott now has six in eight games, Shaun has been banging in goals, and now Ade is coming back to full fitness. At the end of the day, it’s goals that will win you games.”
”
French saw a shot claimed comfortably by Mitten as a host of substitutions disrupted the flow of the game, but it was Maidstone who finished the game on the front foot with two chances in stoppage time.

First, Flisher seemed to be caught in two minds between repeating his first half effort and finding Ade Olorunda, as he flashed a drive across the face of goal. Then, Flisher’s cross fell to replacement Ryan Cooper, whose delicate lob beat Grant, only for George Murphy to head off the line.

Maidstone United:  Charlie Mitten, Tommy Osborne, Tom Mills, Nicky Humphrey, Graeme Andrews, Tim Olorunda (Danny Lye 78), Ben Davisson, Sam Bewick (Ryan Cooper 82), Shaun Welford (Ade Olorunda 73), Ian Draycott, Alex Flisher.
Subs: Kaiyne Woolery, Deren Ibrahim

Goals:  Alex Flisher 6, Ian Draycott 45, 73

Booked:  Tom Mills 81, Danny Lye 88

Chipstead:  Martin Grant, Josh Andrew, Bruce Hogg, George Murphy, Dan Dean, Shaun Preddie, Jason Goodchild, Ashley Lodge (Sean Bradley 46), Rob Haworth (Connor French 56), Michael Gordon (Kyle Green 80), James McShane.
Subs: Shane Graham, Tom Jelly

Booked: James McShane 48, Jason Goodchild 62

Attendance: 1,623
Referee: Mr Peter Georgiou (Wimbledon, London SW17)
Assistants: Mr Deli Sotimirin (London SW9) and Mr Peter Zuffa (London E17)