Margate 0-1 Maidstone United - Stones were more streetwise than us, admits Butler

Saturday 02nd January 2010

MARGATE 0-1 MAIDSTONE UNITED
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 2nd January 2010
Paul Parkinson reports from Hartsdown Park

THEY say that revenge is a dish best served cold! Well, today‘s temperatures were certainly cold enough to ensure that the travelling Maidstone United supporters would be satisfied with Danny Hockton‘s 63rd minute winner, as the Stones gained a measure of revenge for their Boxing Day defeat at Homelands by Margate.

It was probably justice that ex-Margate hero Hockton should hit the winner, after former Stone Lloyd Blackman was the man who settled the earlier match.

After a dismal performance on Boxing Day, followed by a confidence boosting victory at Pilot Field against Hastings two days later, it was Maidstone who started the game quicker.

In the 5th minute, James Pinnock forced Matt Reed into a one-handed save, before Hockton went close with 3 chances in the next 6 minutes.

First, Hockton‘s volleyed shot from a Nick Barnes free kick was blocked by Sam Groombridge‘s tackle, then from a Barnes corner, Hockton couldn‘t direct his diving header on target when the goal was at his mercy. Then, the Stones forward saw a more difficult header loop over the bar from a Jermaine Darlington cross.

A jittery home defence nearly gave up the opening goal, as Charlie Read, under pressure from Pinnock, headed over the advancing Reed, but the goalkeeper was able to scramble back to claim the ball.

Read nearly redeemed himself on 21 minutes, but his volley from the edge of the area, after a poor defensive header, was well over the bar.

This was to be Read‘s last meaningful participation, as he later limped off on the half-hour as the rest of the half became a scrappy affair dominated by the midfield.

In response, Margate started the second half quicker and Blackman had two chances to add to his Boxing Day winner against the Stones.

First, from a Groombridge clearance and with the Maidstone defence looking for an offside flag that never came, Blackman was forced wide by Jamie Turner when through one-on-one.

Then, Turner produced a fingertip save to turn Blackman‘s shot onto the post before gratefully gathering the rebound.

Maidstone took the lead on 63 after a concerted period of pressure. John Keister had to block a Darlington effort, before substitute Luke Wheatley had to be alert to turn a Darlington cross away from Hockton‘s head.

From the resulting Barnes corner, Matt Reed was unable to hold the cross and the ball fell straight to Hockton, who rifled his shot into the roof of the net.

From then on, it was almost one-way traffic towards Turner‘s goal. Groombridge saw his glancing header clear the back post before referee Mr Kelly waved away raucous appeals from the home crowd for a penalty, as Tom Parkinson challenged Blackman, but the ball fell to Joe Healy, whose shot was well saved by Turner.

With the dismissal of James Peacock on 72, Maidstone were forced onto the back foot. Wayne Wilson‘s lob over the defence found Healy inside the box, but Nathan Paul‘s block denied the midfielder.

As stoppage time ticked away, Healy forced another stunning save from Turner, and with Wilson bearing down on goal, Paul again slid in with a crucial block.

Speaking after the game to BBC Radio Kent and www.kentishfootball.co.uk, Stones joint-manager Lloyd Hume was pleased with his side’s record over the festive period.

He said: “Alan (Walker) and I are happy with 6 points out of 9 over the Christmas period; we would we have been happier with 9, of course we would, but let‘s not be greedy, we‘ve won 2 tough games away from home. What we needed to do is get a winning habit into our dressing room and we can take a lot of confidence into Tuesday night.

“It‘s more about our form on the day, the players worked so hard last Saturday when we lost to Margate, but there was no real quality there. Whereas today I thought in spells we played really well, controlled the game and got what we deserved, which Margate did last week.”

Hume paid tribute to his match winner, Hockton, saying, “Danny doesn‘t have to prove anything to me. I‘ve known Danny for a number of years and we knew what we‘d get from him.

“You look back through the years of local non-League football, at players like Steve Portway and Danny‘s one of those. He always gives you everything but generally gets you goals.

“I said when he joined that he‘d get us 15 goals in half a season and in this form he probably will. I thought Pinno (James Pinnock) was outstanding alongside him and they work really well together.

“They‘ve know each other well, have played together before and that‘s a big advantage for us.””

Margate boss Mark Butler, meanwhile, was a disappointed man at the final whistle, especially as his goalkeeper gifted Hockton the match winning goal.

Also speaking to BBC Radio Kent and www.kentishfootball.co.uk, Butler said: “It was disappointing today. Last week, I was standing crowing about the performance of my players. Today, I thought Maidstone were more street-wise than us and just about edged the result.

“It was disappointing to concede a goal from an error. We played OK in periods and could have scored, but I thought we were under-par, especially compared to last week.”

“It has been frustrating not having a home game, then when we get one, we don‘t play as well as when we‘ve played in recent games.

“Maidstone aren‘t mugs, they are probably aiming at top 10 or top 8, which is where we want to be, but we‘ll probably slip back down to the bottom 5 after that.

“Today was an opportunity to get away from the bottom, at home with a good crowd and we didn‘t give them something to be happy about.

“Every game we‘ve had, we haven‘t been walloped by anyone. Even in the games we‘ve had here (at Hartsdown), we‘ve only lost by the odd goal.”

“Danny Hockton had 2 real chances today, both from inside the 6-yard box, one a header that he missed, one from which he scored.

“I have to admit that even at 44, I would have fancied putting one of those away. What Danny does well, is he puts himself in those positions in case someone makes a mistake, and unfortunately for Matt Reed, who was outstanding last week, he‘s dropped the ball to Danny‘s feet.

“But that‘s football, he‘s got broad shoulders and we‘ve got to rebuild and kick on.

“I felt we could have got something from today‘s game even though we didn‘t play well; we hit the post and had 2 good chances at the end.”

Margate: Matt Reed, Aaron Lacy, John Keister, James Duncan, Sam Groombridge, Charlie Read (Luke Wheatley 31), Wayne Wilson, Joe Healy, Lloyd Blackman, Anthony Joseph (Sam Cliff 88), Ben Clarke.
Subs not used: Antonio Gonnella, Dan Stubbs, George Anderson.

Booked: Luke Wheatley 35

Maidstone United: Jamie Turner, Nathan Paul, Jermaine Darlington, Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw (Lynden Rowland 71), Peter Hawkins, James Peacock, Roland Edge, Tom Parkinson, James Pinnock, Danny Hockton (Gabriel Odunaike 79), Nick Barnes.
Subs: Ant Bodle, Shannon O‘Donnovan, Richard Knell.

Goal: Danny Hockton 63

Booked: James Peacock 27, Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw 53, Nick Barnes 87

Sent Off: James Peacock 72

Attendance: 568
Referee: Mr Paul Kelly (Walderslade)
Assistants: Mr Martin Peck (West Malling) & Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)