Sevenoaks Town 0 ? 4 Maidstone United

Greatness Park, Sevenoaks

Kentish Observer Kent League

Saturday 22n^d April 2006

Goal Scorers

Maidstone United: Lynden Rowland 6, Mo Takaloo 45, Ryan Royston 88, 90

Line Ups

Sevenoaks Town: John-Paul Green, Andy Mills, Darren Pearson, Nick Reeves, Alec Osbourne, Dwayne Okocha, Ryan Hackett, James Dalton, Luke Walland, Charlie Hawkes, Mike Cox. Subs not used: Ian Trim, Steve Armstrong, Chris Hackett

Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Aaron Lacy, Mario Celaire, Ryan Royston, Jimmy Strouts, Sam Tydeman (Jason Barton 39), Mo Takaloo (Simon Austin 85), Lynden Rowland, Nick Hegley (Lee Sperring 45). Subs not used: Lloyd Hume, Richard Mannerings.

Maidstone United are the Kent League Champions and can look forward to promotion as the season ended in dramatic style. The Stones needed to get all three points from their final game away at Sevenoaks and hope that Beckenham didn?t win at Erith and Belverdere and that is exactly what happened as Town could only draw and Maidstone won comfortably to snatch the title by just two points.

It was difficult to concentrate on the events at Greatness Park, especially as the second half wore on with Erith and Belverdere and Beckenham locked at one a piece. But by that stage, The Stones had done all they could as they eased into a 2-0 lead without playing particularly well.

It took just 6 minutes for Maidstone to settle the nerves to a certain extent when Nick Hegley collected the ball out on the left hand side, cut into the middle and delivered a great ball across the area for Lynden Rowland to slam high into the net from close range.

Mario Celaire then headed over on 11 minutes before Nathan Paul fed golden boot winner Mo Takaloo and he forced John-Paul Green to make a good save, tipping his effort around the left hand post. Takaloo then wasted a chance with 32 minutes gone when he could only find the side netting from Sam Tydeman?s pass.

Unfortunately, The Stones then lost Tydeman to injury with 39 minutes played but with half time approaching, Maidstone put the game out of Sevenoaks? reach when Hegley?s persistence paid off and he crossed for Takaloo to head past Green.

Early in the second half, news came through that Erith and Belevedere had taken the lead only for Beckenham to equalise swiftly. With the tension amongst The Stones supporters beginning to rise, fortunately the team were keeping their composure and creating plenty of chances. Rowland saw two efforts clear the bar and then on 72 minutes, an Aaron Lacy corner led to Jimmy Strouts being fouled in the area by Mike Cox. Takaloo, keen to add to his mammoth goal tally for the season assumed responsibility but ballooned his shot into the bank behind the goal.

Green then pulled off a double save to first deny substitute Lee Sperring and then Takaloo but he was powerless to prevent Ryan Royston driving the ball home from the edge of the area with just 2 minutes remaining.

There was still time for Royston to add a 4^th in stoppage time but by now, most people were concentrating on events at Park View Road. As the whistle blew in The Stones? match there was a slight delay and then a huge roar as the section behind the goal heard that Beckenham had failed to beat Erith and Belverdere. Maidstone fans flooded the pitch in delight sparking fantastic scenes as The Stones finally celebrated winning the Kent League and promotion to the next level.