Whitstable Town FC

Maidstone United vs VCD Athletic...              Kentish Observer Kent League

Bourne Park, Sittingbourne                          Monday 17^th April

Goal Scorers

Maidstone United: Lynden Rowland 35, Nick Hegley 65, Mo Takaloo 84

Line ups

Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Leroy Huggins (Aaron Lacy 68), Mario Celaire, Ryan Royston, Jim Strouts, Sam Tydeman (Scott Lindsey 80), Mo Takaloo (Lee Sperring 87), Lynden Rowland, Nick Hegley. Subs not used:, Jason Barton, Richard Mannerings

VCD Athletic: Grant Wallis, Chris Whitehouse, David Hunt, Paul Foley, Steve Hogg (Juan Ramirez 80), Lee Coburn, Mark Horan, James Brown (Alan Owen 66), Ricky Bennett (Mo Miah 66), Mark Greatorex, Ashley Proberts. Subs not used: Danny McGuinness, Harry Gibbs

The fight for the Kent League title will go right to the wire after both Maidstone United and Beckenham Town won their penultimate games. On paper, The Stones? home tie against VCD might have been a potential banana skin for their title hopes but an excellent second half performance, coupled with some ill disciplined behavior from the visitors, saw Maidstone win comfortably.

Manager Lloyd Hume wasn?t happy with his side at half time though saying: ?In the first half I thought we were quite poor and at half time I wasn?t best pleased. But in the second half we did very well and we won the game convincingly. It was a good win as they are a good side.?

It was VCD, fielding three ex-Maidstone players, who looked the better side early on and Lee Coburn was close to applying the vital touch with 3 minutes played but the ever reliable Craig Roser managed to get the ball clear. Then just 6 minutes later, Steve Hogg headed a deep corner back into the 6 yard box which Pat Mullin managed to punch away as far as James Brown and his diving header hit the side netting.

Slowly, The Stones began to impose themselves on the game and Nick Hegley and Leroy Huggins saw their efforts miss the target before Mo Takaloo had a goal ruled out for offside with 32 minutes played. However, 3 minutes later, Maidstone did edge in front when Sam Tydeman sent a quick free-kick into Takaloo who turned and picked out the unmarked Lynden Rowland at the far post and he fired in his 24^th goal of the season.

Just before half time, VCD blew a great chance to equalise when Mark Greatorex burst clear of the Maidstone defence but he elected to shoot early and in the end, his effort was no where near troubling Pat Mullin in goal.

With 51 minutes played, James Brown found himself the first of a number of players to make it into Mr Kelly?s notebook for persistent fouling which was to signal the start of a bad tempered period of play in which the referee struggled to maintain control.

VCD were enjoying another spell of possession though and nearly scored when Maidstone failed to close down Mark Horan who strolled towards the area before unleashing a fierce drive which only just cleared the bar.

However, The Stones killed off any lingering VCD hopes of getting back into the game on 65 minutes when Jim Strouts put a good ball over the top into Nick Hegley who waited for the Athletic keeper Grant Wallis to commit and curled a neat finish into the far corner of the net.

Strouts then saw a header cleared off the line before substitute Scott Lindsey conceded a free-kick in a central position with 83 minutes gone. Ashley Probetts whipped the ball towards the 6-yard box and Pat Mullin managed to get a hand to Chris Whitehouse?s header but the ball flew back into the air and Roser had to be alert to stop substitute Juan Ramirez?s shot crossing the line.

Following the corner, The Stones broke out of defence and eventually, Strouts played Rowland through on goal. Rowland entered the area and instead of electing to shoot, unselfishly squared the ball to Takaloo who side footed his finish into the empty net.

By now, VCD had lost their discipline and on 84 minutes, Horan was dismissed and apparently shown the red card twice for his actions.  Greatorex was next to follow when he was fouled by Roser and then he aimed a kick at the Stones defender leaving Mr Kelly no option but to show him a second yellow card and send him off.  

There was still time for substitute Lee Sperring to put Rowland through on goal again but Rowland attempted to round Wallis and the VCD keeper did well to gather the ball.

So if Maidstone are to be champions they need to beat Sevenoaks Town next week and hope that Erith and Belverdere take points off Beckenham. Its certainly making for an exciting end to the season but will Lloyd Hume be keeping an eye on events at Park View Avenue? He said: ? No I wont to be honest, we?ve got to go to Sevenoaks and do our job and hope and pray that Erith do their job and get the result. It?s the hardest game Beckenham could have had other than us so we are blessed in that way. But if they come through that game and they win they deserve to win the championship. However, if we get the result and get the championship no one will be happier than me.?