Harlow Town 1-2 Maidstone United - Stones climb out of drop zone thanks to Saunders' late winner

A long ball deep in stoppage time from Sam Tydeman saw Conor Hagan break clear down the left wing and the Irishman took the ball to the deadball line, outpacing David Obaze, before cutting the ball along the 6 yard line for Saunders to cap a man-of-the-match display with a simple finish.

In a tense first half, Maidstone shaded the play, although things could have been very different as early as the 13th minute had James Lindie not allowed Marc Clearey to make a last-gasp challenge, after rounding Steve Northwood.

This escape seemed to galvanise the Stones and 3 minutes later Saunders saw his first header cleared off the line by Kenny Davis from a Sam Tydeman corner, before another Saunders header flashed past the right hand post from the next corner.

Harlow only had one further chance to their name in the first half, when Jordon Fowler seized on a Clearey header, but hit his shot past Northwood‘s right hand post from fully 30 yards.

Maidstone finished the half on a high when a long clearance by Northwood was misjudged by Ryan Kirby, allowing Alex Tiesse to lob the advancing Michael Dumoulin, but the shot trickled wide.

The second half started in the same vein, with neither side able to find the killer ball, but changed in Maidstone‘s favour in the 67th minute following a foul by Kirby on Alex Tiesse.

Selley‘s free kick from 20 yards curled round the right side of the Harlow wall and Dumoulin could only stand and watch as the ball flew into the bottom corner.

Maidstone‘s joy, however, lasted only 90 seconds, as Davis broke free down the right wing and having driven into the area, clipped a cross to the back post, where James Bunn steered his header down and away from Northwood to equalise.

Given recent results and the tendancy for late goals to go against them, you could have forgiven Maidstone for worrying at this stage, but the Stones went looking for the much-needed win.

Following good work in the middle of the field, beating two defenders on 73 minutes, Mo Takaloo saw his drive from 25 yards spilled by the Harlow keeper, but he gathered the ball as it trickled towards the goal line.

A long throw from Aaron Lacy 10 minutes later caused havoc in the Harlow defence and Ben Lewis’ back header saw Dumoulin claw the ball away from the top corner of the net.

And so into stoppage time, with both sides looking to counter-attack each other, and Saunders‘ finish to put the Stones 2-1 up.

The former Folkestone Invicta midfielder was maybe lucky to escape with a yellow card a minute later following a clash with Obaze, but the final contribution came from Northwood, whose legs blocked Shaun Gliddon‘s late drive, and sent the 150+ travelling supporters, in the crowd of 353, home happy.

Harlow Town: Michael Dumoulin, Kenny Davis, Mark Taylor (David Obaze 75), Beckett Hollenbach, Ryan Kirby, Michael Gliddon, Shaun Gliddon, Clark Akers (Rhys Henry 57), James Bunn, Jordon Fowler, James Lindie (Dean Williams 86).
Subs: Danny Green, James Hassell

Goal: James Bunn 69

Booked: Dean Williams 90, Kenny Davis 90

Maidstone United: Steve Northwood, Nathan Paul, Sam Tydeman, Ben Lewis, Marc Clearey, Ian Selley, Mark Saunders, Chris Smalling, Jacob Erskine (Mo Takalobighashi 68), Alex Tiesse (Conor Hagan 78), Nick Hegley (Aaron Lacy 58).
Subs: Craig Roser, Pat Mullin

Goals: Ian Selley 67, Mark Saunders 90

Booked: Ben Lewis 74, Marc Clearey 81, Mark Saunders 90