Maidstone United 1-1 Aveley - Takeover has created a buzz around the club, says Peter Nott

Saturday 09th October 2010

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1-1 AVELEY
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 9th October 2010
Mike Green reports from Homelands Stadium

ON the first day of what every one hopes will be a successful new era for Maidstone United, striker Danny Hockton went from hero to villain as Peter Nott’s struggling side had to settle for a point against fellow strugglers Aveley.

For Hockton, who scored a stunning first half equaliser – the goal would surely be a contender for the Ryman League goal of the month if there were such a competition – was then shown a yellow card for “simulation” seven minutes from time which sadly was his second card of the afternoon so it meant an early bath, despite the fact that at least three quarters of the Homelands crowd thought referee Linden had pointed to the penalty spot as it appeared that Hockton had indeed been fouled.

That was especially hard for the Stones boss to follow as Aveley’s goal itself came from the spot in equally controversial circumstances early in the game.

Former Welling winger Orlando Smith skipped around Stones keeper Andy Walker stumbled over the keeper and went down as he lost possession.

Incredibly referee Mr Linden was in no hesitation in awarding the spot kick although he “only” showed Walker a yellow card, when the keeper had clearly prevented a clear goal scoring chance.

Smith though made no mistake from the spot – thundering the ball in off of the underside of the bar!

After the game, Nott spoke to www.kentishfootall.co.uk and was naturally upset about the two decisions made by Mr Linden that, in the cold light of day, undoubtedly turned the game.

He said: “We came out of the traps well but I thought the penalty was a big decision – from where I am its difficult to see. Andy Walker swears that he came out and the fella has kicked the back of his head and gone over, but theses things happen.

“But the boys lifted themselves up and dusted themselves down and I though that we got a deserved equaliser, but certainly possession wise we were the more dangerous of the two teams. It was a big decision that went against us.”

Indeed the Stones did start well and didn’t let the early set back get them down.

In quick succession Joe Vines was unlucky at a corner as he sliced wide from an unfortunate bounce; Hockton had a low skidding free kick bundled round the post by Aveley keeper David McCartney (no relation I’m told to our editor) and then James peacock, returning from suspension saw a header cleared off the line by former Welling United defender Anthony Acheampong.

Then quite literally out of nothing, the Stones were level.

Hockton received the ball into feet 30 yards out, yet in an instant turned and placed an unstoppable shot over McCartney and into the top corner of the Aveley net.

To say it was a goal that pleased his manager would be something of an understatement. “Danny is pedigree and his record is there and the goal he scored today – he’s come inside and he’s got no right to do what he did – saw the keeper slightly off his line and curl a beauty into the top corner,” Nott enthused.

“He’s been really on top in training last couple of weeks despite carrying a groin strain, but we need Danny – we need him banging in the goals like we know he can. We need Danny firing.”

Incredibly in stoppage time, the home side could have taken the lead as two Colin Richmond free kicks caused chaos.

From the first, Vines glanced a header narrowly wide, before both Peacock and keeper McCartney couldn’t get a touch on a drilled centre – there was even a muted appeal for a penalty as the “challenge” by the keeper didn’t get the ball and left the Stones man in a heap.

The second half began as the first had finished, with the home side totally dominant over an Aveley side that appear to be a shadow of the one that played Ryman Premier Play off football only last May.

On 54 minutes, Adrian Stone drilled the ball against the underside of the Aveley bar (after being found by Simon Glover’s clever square ball) before in their first real attack since taking the lead on seven minutes, Aveley striker Kurt Smith was denied by a wonderful saving 59th minute challenge from Peacock as the striker bore down on Walker’s goal.

With both sides then becoming nervous about losing the game developed into a cat and mouse affair until that is the last 10 minutes.

On 82 minutes, Stone’s diving header (from Glover’s cross) flew into the side netting, before sixty seconds later Stone was denied by a brilliant finger tip save from McCartney as the striker unleashed a near post drive that seemed destined for the top corner.

Then with six minutes left, Hockton wriggled free in the box and appears to be fouled by Sean Francis.

The Stones number ten went down and with the majority of the 230 gate waiting for a penalty to be awarded, Hockton was shown a second yellow card – a decision that flummoxed the crowd, the player and incensed his manager.

“I jumped up in the air – I thought he (the referee’s) given us a penalty – Danny’s teased him in and gone past the defender and was clipped and he’s gone over (as he’s clearly been clipped) as 99 players out of 100 would but to send him off?”

Nott fumed after the game. “I just said to the ref at the end – two major decisions in the game that have gone their way and I think he got both of them completely wrong! He certainly didn’t get the sending off right and to send someone of fin that position you’ve got to be 100 percent sure that the player is trying to get something that wasn’t there, and the point was that he got clipped and that’s why he went over!”

To their credit though the Stones still almost took the points that they deserved.

On 86 minutes Peacock was clearly held on the floor by McCartney after the keeper had spilled a clip into the box, but yet again the appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears, before in stoppage time Smith produced arguably the miss of the season as Aveley came agonisingly close to a completely underserved victory.

Substitute Matt Judge broke clear down the right and his cross to the far post left Smith with an open goal as Walker struggled to make his ground across his goal line. Incredibly Smith somehow failed to make a proper connection with the ball with the goal at his mercy and it almost apologetically bounced into a grateful keepers arms.

After the game the Stones boss was asked about the influence of Oliver Ash and Terry Casey’s take over of the club that was finalised on Friday.

Nott said: “There’s been a little bit of a buzz around the last couple of days with the new owners and the supporters getting a bit of a lift.

“It’s been a difficult situation for the club – Paul Bowden Brown’s done a great job for the club but I think everyone was getting frustrated that the club wasn’t progressing on. And so getting new owners in on the back of the poor run of results that we’ve had, I do think that there was a certain buzz about the place today. We haven’t had it for a little while and it would have been nice to crown it with a victory today but that sadly didn’t come!”

“There’s a good togetherness in this team and I really did feel for the boys on Saturday – we needed that slice of luck and it just didn’t come. We were close to getting the points and even after Danny (Hockton) got sent off I though we could have taken the points but we’ll just keep plugging away and hopefully we’ll be given the time that we need to get us through this bit.

“Saturday was the first time this season that I’ve had to leave players out of the squad, and we haven’t had to dig not only into the reserves but the under 18s as well.

“Now we’ve got to find a way to keep the players here with the new budget and that I’m sure will be an interesting conversation that we have with the new owners.”

Maidstone United: Andy Walker, Tom Parkinson (Des Boeteng 83), Jermaine Darlington, Joe Vines, Peter Hawkins, Simon Glover, Ryan Andrews (Jake Hobbs 60), James Peacock, Adrian Stone, Danny Hockton, Colin Richmond.

Subs: Ant Bodle, Tom Mills, Harry Lee

Goal: Danny Hockton 33

Booked: Andy Walker 9, Danny Hockton 20, Joe Vines 41, Peter Hawkins 51

Sent off: Danny Hockton 84

Aveley: David McCartney, Spencer Harrison, Andy Howell, Anthony Acheampong, Sean Francis, Darren Quinton, Orlando Smith, Danny Slatter, Kurt Smith (Matt Judge 69), Abs Thompson (David Knight 83), Ben Billings (Luke Stanley 53).

Subs: Luke Coleman, Danny Brown

Goal: Orlando Smith 9 (pen)

Booked: Danny Slatter 20

Attendance: 230

Referee: Mr Wes Linden (Northwood, Middlesex)

Assistants: Mr Minkuk Choi (London SE17) & Mr C Dodds