Maidstone United 4-2 Aveley - I want us to be hard to beat at home - Hume

Tuesday 22nd September 2009

MAIDSTONE UNITED 4-2 AVELEY

Ryman Premier League

Tuesday 22nd September 2009

Paul Parkinson reports from Homelands Stadium

FIRST goals for the club from teenagers Ashley Ulph and Tom Parkinson helped Maidstone United leapfrog Aveley into the top five of the Ryman Premier League with a hard fought 4-2 victory at Homelands tonight, but only after a nerve-wracking 15:47 of stoppage time.

A delighted Stones joint-manager, Lloyd Hume, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, “If I’m honest, the youngsters probably out-performed some of the more experienced faces. I’m delighted for them, it’s a good blend for us.”

Additional second half goals from the experienced duo James Pinnock (his 4th League goal) and Nick Barnes; whose effort deep in stoppage time sealed a maiden League victory at Homelands.

Hume added: “I can‘t hide my disappointment that we‘ve conceded poor goals, but we had to get a win at home. I must give my lads credit though, we hung in there, worked really hard & kept battling.””

Even before some of the 200 crowd had left the bar, Maidstone hit the front. Another of the youngsters, Ant Bodle broke down the left wing and just as it looked as though he had run into a cul-de-sac, Bodle laid the ball inside to Ulph, who struck a curling shot into the top right corner to open his account.

This seemed to wake the visitors and they equalised on eight minutes with a classic counter-attack, though one that the Stones‘ defence will want to forget.

Jamie Turner‘s long kick was returned by Richard Ketchell and with the defence hesitating and appealing for an offside decision against Sherwin Stanley, Matt Johnson stole through, rode the advancing Turner‘s challenge and held off Nathan Paul to slot home from 20 yards.

Turner had to be at his best five minutes later, reacting well to turn Piers Wixon‘s volley aside with a strong wrist, after good build-up play from Stanley and Sam Holloway.

And what one goalkeeper could do well, Aveley‘s Jamie Lynan proved he could match on 17 minutes, denying Nick Barnes with his outstretched left boot, before Barnes flashed a header past the right post, after good work from Matthew Wright.

Aveley‘s defence was being tested and two last ditch challenges denied further efforts from Wright and James Pinnock.

Maidstone wouldn‘t be denied though and as a number of players called for a penalty for a possible handball by Darren Blewitt as Ulph burst into the box once more, Mr McGill eventually signalled for a corner.

From this, Wright powered a header against the angle of post and bar, and as the ball bounced down, Parkinson was on hand to scramble home his first goal.

Aveley started the second half on the front foot, and the match seemed to change on 49 minutes, when a long clearance from Doyle released Stanley. The forward outpaced Peter Hawkins, before cutting inside and shooting wildly across goal.

The result of this break was a calf injury to assistant referee, Mr Bryant, and a nine minute stoppage for a replacement to be found.

When the match restarted, the visitors seemed to react better, with Junior Dadson, Stanley and Johnson all having efforts on goal.

But the Stones hit back in the best way. A quick throw deep in the Aveley half on 67 minutes was steered into the box by Hawkins. Barnes‘ header at the back post was latched onto by James Pinnock, whose volley on the turn flew past the stationary Lynan in the Aveley goal.

Aveley made two changes, but the match was further disrupted when Mr McGill selected the replaced Blewitt out of a number of protesting players on the visitor‘s bench and dismissed the defender. Blewitt was still in shock at the decision after the game, as he seemed to be the only one still on the bench while the incident unfolded.

Further controversy followed on 82 minutes, when the ball appeared to bounce onto Hawkins‘ arm, although there was no question of intent, and suddenly Aveley were presented with a way back into the game.

Aveley skipper, Ryan Doyle, duly despatched the penalty and a game that had started drifting along suddenly sprung back into life.

Roland Edge fired a volley just past the visitors’ goal, before Doyle fired high, wide and not very handsomely towards Turner‘s goal.

But, in the 5th of what turned out to be nearly 16 minutes stoppage time, Maidstone settled the match.

Ulph broke from defence, beating 3 players on a weaving run, before Jay Saunders released Barnes with a gem of a through ball with the outside of his foot.

The defence-splitting pass allowed Barnes time to draw Lynan, before slotting into the corner of the net.

Hume said afterwards: “I was pleased with the win. They‘re a really hard working side, they had a lot of endeavour about them and they didn‘t disappoint us.

“We scored early and sometimes they say you can score too early, but I was delighted to get the early goal and very disappointed to concede when we did.

“They had a 5 minute spell when they could have gone 2-1 in front, so to get ahead again before half-time was a really big thing for us.

“The second half was a real battle, with the officials making some strange decisions; some went for us, some against us, it went both ways.

“It was one of those games and I‘m delighted to come out with a win.

“The events of the 2nd half (the official‘s injury) didn‘t help either side, but we all had to cope with it.

“I want us to be hard to beat at home and make it hard for teams to score against us, but at times tonight, we made it far too easy for them to get in behind us.”

Maidstone United: Jamie Turner, Nathan Paul, Ashley Ulph, Ant Bodle (James Peacock 76), Peter Hawkins, Tom Parkinson, Roland Edge, Jay Saunders, James Pinnock (Ashley Dann 89), Matthew Wright, Nick Barnes (Jimmy Bottle 87).
Subs: Dan Stubbs, Richard Knell.

Goals: Ashley Ulph 1 (39 seconds), Tom Parkinson 41, James Pinnock 67, Nick Barnes 90.

Aveley: Jamie Lynan, Ryan Doyle, Sam Holloway, Nicky Symons, Darren Blewitt (Ryan Edgar 75), Richard Ketchell, Mitch Hann, Matt Johnson, Sherwin Stanley, Piers Wixon (Ian Luck 75), Junior Dadson.
Subs: Sam Lechmere, Clydie Roberts, John Green.

Goals: Matt Johnson 8, Ryan Doyle 82 (pen)

Booked: Ryan Doyle 22, Matt Johnson 90.

Sent Off: Darren Blewitt 77

Attendance: 200
Referee: Mr B McGill
Assistants: Mr Graham Bryant (Saltwood) & Mr Ian Fissenden (Gillingham)