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Terrors cruised closer to mid table
safety with an unexpectedly comfortable victory over a
'Stones side that looked a shadow of the team that
beat us twice earlier in the season. With three
suspensions being served (Matt York, Joe Vines and
Dean Hamlin) Billy brought in two players with recent
conference experience. Forward Dean McDonald and
centre back Justyn Roberts have both featured for Rushden
& Diamonds this season.
New boy McDonald caused plenty of
problems, signaling his intentions early with a pot
shot and continuing with a run that eventually took
two men to terminate. Then, after twenty three
minutes, he slipped the ball wide to Kirk Watts, who
provided a slide rule cross just eluded the advancing
forward line.
Hawkins had been looking
particularly unsettled and on twenty five minutes his
poor backpass, under pressure from Paul Vines, was
fluffed by Northwood and pounced on by McDonald, who
slipped the ball back past the floundering keeper to
open his Terrors scoring account.
Immediately after the restart Paul
Vines nearly pulled of the same trick on the other
side of the goalmouth as Terrors began to
dominate. Enjoying a bit more space than of late
Vines nearly made it two on the half hour as he
advanced into the box, but his shot was too
high. Six minutes before the break a long low
struck free kick from Andrew Howell was fumbled by
Northwood and scrambled away for a corner.
Maidstone managed their first corner
a minute before the break, a fair reflection of the
half in which the only defensive action of note was a
fine blocking tackle from Howell early on.
Half Time: Terrors 1-0 Maidstone
The visitors re-emerged with more
purpose about them, but it was Vines who carved out
the first shooting opportunity which, as in the first
half, cruised over the top. A minute later and Paul
again beat the bar with a closely controlled turn and
snapshot.
On the hour a Watts cross found
Marshall in space at the back post, but his shot was
sent high into the stand behind the goal. Back
in command Tooting continued to force the pace as
another Watts special caused penalty area panic.
Still the all important second goal would not come and
fifteen minutes from time the worst fears of terrace
pessimists almost came to pass when a Peacock side
footed volley from a dangerous cross was acrobatically
tipped over by Dave King, his first serious assignment
of the day.
Billy Marshalls next effort was more
typical of what we are coming to expect from him when
his rasping twenty five yarder was tipped onto the bar
by Northwood, with Paul Vines coming close to
converting the rebound. The final
five minutes offered several more chances. Billy
Marshall broke down the right and supplied a fine low
cross for McDonald, who fired wide. Paul Vines got in
a superb chip whilst under close defensive attention,
which Northwood touched over for a corner. Another
McDonald shot was directed straight at the keeper
before Kirk Watts, shunning the crossing option, cut
inside and firmly planted the ball in the back of the
net to give the score line a more accurate look.
There was still time for Jason Pinnock to set up
Marshall again, but his low shot was cleared for a
corner. |
