Maidstone United 3-1 Bury Town - We must cut out defensive mistakes, says Hume

MAIDSTONE UNITED 3-1 BURY TOWN
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round Replay
Wednesday 24^th October 2007
Mike Green reports from Bourne Park

Second half goals from Lee Shearer, Luis Cumbers and Lynden Rowland safely saw Maidstone United in the next round of the FA Trophy - and an away trip to Abingdon United.

That said, the 222 brave souls who survived the Bourne Park chill, was stunned in the opening 62 seconds when, with their first attack, the visitors took the lead.

Bury Town broke down the right and as in a school boy match the whole game seemed to follow the ball, and then suddenly Lee Smith had the vision to pick out Lee Reed in acres upon acres of space on the left.

Reed advanced to the edge of the penalty area to give goalkeeper Pat Mullin no chance.

The Stones huffed and puffed to desperately get level by half-time but their best efforts from the head of Errison Ahwan was brilliantly turned aside by Bury’s veteran goalkeeper Dean Greygoose.

On the stroke of half-time the Stones faithful thought they should have had a penalty when the ball struck Smith’s hand, only the referee to wave the claims away.

The second half period started more menacingly with the Stones in the ascendancy, and on 56 minutes from their eleventh corner of the game, taken by Andy Martin, Cumbers' effort flashed agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.

The reprieve for Bury, though, lasted only two minutes as from corner number twelve (again taken by Martin) Shearer thumped home a header at the far post.

Incredibly from their next corner, some three minutes later, Cumbers gave the Stones the lead - well we think it was Cumbers getting on the end of Sam Tydeman’s corner, it could have been one of three or four different players - but as manager Lloyd Hume shrugged afterwards, “he’s a striker, so I’ll give the goal to him.”

An incredible spell of play ended on 63 minutes when the visitors should really have equalised.

Fine play down the left-hand side released substitute Carl Murkin and his driven cross saw Danny Cornwell clear the bar from a yard out at the far-post.

It was the striker’s last action before being substituted, and realistically it was the last chance for the Suffolk visitors.

Stones could have increased their lead when Ray Freeman did well to retrieve a lost cause and pulled the ball back for Craig Roser, whose dipping volley flew past a bemused Greygoose only to clear the far post by a matter of inches.

The Stones sealed their trip to Oxfordshire three minutes from time when a pin-point Tydeman cross found Rowland at the far post and his looping header did the rest.

Afterwards manager Hume said: “I’m pleased with the way we battled back after losing an early goal, it’s just frustrating that all we said in the dressing room beforehand was blown away so quickly.

“We’re making the same defensive mistakes and we’ve again let them know that in no uncertain terms.”

Looking ahead to their league game at Ashford Town (Middlesex) on Saturday, Hume admitted their away form is a concern.

He said: “The weekend was the first time that we’ve got anything away from home, which we know isn’t good enough, especially after our away form was one of our strengths last year.  Where better than to start at a struggling side.”


Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Ben Lewis, Errison Ahwan, Lee Shearer, Sam Tydeman, Rob Owen, Luis Cumbers (Mo Takaloo 79), Andy Martin (Lynden Rowland 67), Nick Hegley (Ray Freeman 69).
Subs: Ray Freeman, Aaron Lacy.

Goals: Lee Shearer 58, Luis Cumbers 61, Lynden Rowland 87

Bury Town: Dean Greygoose, Sam Nunn, Tom Jeal (Carl Murkin 41), Michael Steward (Stuart Walker 80), Darren Coe, Tom Bullard, Lee Smith, Gavin Johnson, Shawn Bammant, Danny Cornwell (Sam Reed 63), Lee Reed.
Sub: Sean Greygoose.

Goal: Lee Reed 2

Attendance: 222
Referee: Mr W Norcott
Assistants: Mr P Kelly & Mr P Beadle