Walton Casuals 1-2 Maidstone United - THE STONES ARE GOING UP!

WALTON CASUALS 1-2 MAIDSTONE UNITED
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 28^th April 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Franklyn Road

Two headed goals from heroic central defender Ryan Royston, coming from trademark Aaron Lacy throws, has today clinched back-to-back League titles for Maidstone United.

Stones fans turned out in force on the banks of the River Thames at this small but smart ground to endure a tense finale to their Ryman League Division One South campaign.

Needing a win to emulate what Ramsgate achieved 12 months ago, Royston, 25, was Maidstone United’s hero as he took his goalscoring tally to an impressive twelve for the season.

And his goals were vital as Tooting & Mitcham United and Dover Athletic, who could have grabbed the title today, both won, beating Ashford Town and Horsham YMCA respectively.

But unlike Stones 4-0 win at Sevenoaks Town, pipping Beckenham Town to the Kent League title on the last day of last season, Maidstone United were presented with the Ryman League Division One South trophy at around 5:30pm - after Hampton & Richmond Borough were presented with the Premier League trophy five miles down the road.

THE WINNING TEAM:  Maidstone United chairman Mr Paul Bowden-Brown gets his hands on the
Ryman League Division One South trophy, flanked by managers Lloyd Hume (on our left) and Alan Walker following their 2-1 win at Walton Casuals today.

Photograph courtesy of www.maidstoneunited.co.uk


Stunned people in Kent woke up this morning hearing the news - or enduring - an earthquake.

The magnitude 4.3 tremor struck at 08:19 and experts said it’s epicentre was a few miles off the coast in the English Channel.

And Folkestone Invicta’s reserve team fixture against Bromley was postponed earlier in the day, when the earthquake left the Buzzlines Stadium in Cheriton Road with no power and possible damage.

Expectant Stones fans, decked in amber, piled into Walton Casuals’ ground in their hundreds, and were in full voice before kick-off, enjoying the party atmosphere.

And when both teams raced out onto the pitch, Stones fans hurled yellow balloons into the air.

But the Surrey side, unbeaten in their last five games, were desperate to spoil the party.

Scott Harris’ right-footed volley from 25-yards ballooned over Pat Mullin’s crossbar before the Kent side took control.

Skipper Sam Tydeman’s left-footed drive flew over Matt Reed’s crossbar before Errison Ahwan’s header from ten-yards cleared the crossbar following Lacy’s cross from the right.

News had already filtered through that Tooting & Mitcham United had already taken the lead at Ashford Town, and were leading the table for around 20 minutes.

But the Stones reclaimed top spot when Royston eased the tension by sending the travelling Stones fans wild after 22 minutes.

Royston lost a rare aerial challenge following Lacy’s throw and Tydeman, some 25-yards from goal, sent over a cross towards the far post and the unmarked Royston powered his header into the bottom left hand corner from ten-yards.

Mullin made a crucial save seven minutes later, diving to tip Greg Ball’s left-footed 25-yard drive around the post - injuring himself in the process.

Scott Harris took the resulting corner, which came back to him, and his right-footed drive bounced once before flashing past the near post.

Ahwan’s audacious over-head kick from fifteen yards cleared the crossbar following Lacy’s free-kick.

And Ahwan returned the favour later in the half, by setting up Lacy, but the winger blazed his right-footed shot over from 22-yards.

Walton Casuals’ Mike Cayford rolled his angled left-footed drive past the far post within the first four minutes of the second half.

But the Stones fans were stunned to silence - albeit for only a few moments - when Walton Casuals equalised after 58 minutes.

A move down the left from Craig Carley and Ball resulted in Michael Cobden lashing a left-footed shot past Mullin from 12-yards.

At this stage, Tooting & Mitcham United had leapfrogged over the Stones, before Royston scored the decisive winner within five sad minutes.

The Stones had just made their first change of the afternoon when striker Mo Takaloo replacing Nick Hegley.

This move must have unsettled the hosts as Lacy’s long-throw was met by a header from Royston, which flew into the net to the delight of all the travelling fans.

The Stones management team of Alan Walker and Lloyd Hume, took the brave decision to use their substitutes within a seven minute period, and they decided that they should soak up the pressure for the remainder of the game, with Takaloo the only front man.

Who could argue with the successive pair? Their players did exactly what they were told, soaking up the pressure, hitting their hosts on the break, which could have resulted in more goals.

Substitute Lee Shearer headed Harris’ corner out of the Stones penalty area and Takaloo broke clear.

Defender Mario McNish, who burst forward in support, received a low pass but the former Beckenham Town player rolled a shot into Reed’s grateful arms.

Stones fans had their hearts in their mouths with nineteen minutes left when David O’Cquaque latched onto a defensive splitting pass from the impressive Anthony Gale, but his left-footed angled shot from 15-yards flew wide.

And as the tension intensified, Ahwan drilled his right-footed shot from 30-yards past the right post.

Inspired skipper Tydeman saw Reed off his line in the 81^st minute and from 45-yards, his left-footed dropped inside the six-yard box but just bounced past the left post.

Takaloo almost wrapped up the win when his over-head kick was tipped onto the crossbar by Reed - as Lacy launched another long throw from the right.

A handful of Stones fans had prematurely ran onto the pitch but the referee had only awarded a free-kick.

But they ran onto the pitch in their droves from all sides of the ground once they had endured a painful six minutes and 19 seconds of stoppage time as they celebrated winning the league by one point from Tooting & Mitcham United.

Fans label the Kent League as a “tin-pot” competition, but in the past three years the champions have excelled in the Ryman League Division One South.

Cray Wanderers reached the play-offs in their first season, losing their semi-final clash at Horsham, and now Ramsgate and Maidstone United have gone on to clinch promotion into the Ryman Premier League with back-to-back titles.

Place your bets now that this season’s Kent League champions Whitstable Town will clinch the Ryman League Division One South title in 12 months time.

Dover Athletic are aiming to join their friends in the Ryman Premier League in the next seven days.

The Whites welcome Hastings United to a passion filled Crabble on Tuesday night, and will play either Tooting & Mitcham United or Fleet Town in Saturday’s showdown final.

However, if Tooting win their semi-final on Tuesday, then the final will be at Imperial Fields, but if Fleet Town win, the they will play in front of over 2,000 fans at Crabble on Saturday.

Maidstone United and Dover Athletic supporters have endured pain in recent times - it will be excellent to see these two giants playing each other in the Ryman Premier League.