Maidstone United 2-3 Ashford Town (Middlesex) - Walker slams "shocking" defending for Trophy exit

MAIDSTONE UNITED 2-3 ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX)
Sunday 5^th November 2006
FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Qualifying Round
Stephen McCartney reports from Bourne Park

Maidstone United joint-manager Alan Walker described his side’s defending as “shocking” as they were dumped out of the FA Trophy following a smash and grab raid by Ryman Premier League side Ashford Town (Middlesex) at Bourne Park today.

Despite taking an early lead through Simon Austin’s third goal of the season, the Kent side were pegged back when Jon Palmer netted his third goal of the season with 23 minutes left.

Gavin Smith then gave the Middlesex side the lead before Lynden Rowland kept his composure to score his 8^th goal of the season.

But Maidstone United’s hopes for a Tuesday night trip to Short Lane were dashed when substitute Matt Baxter netted his first goal of the season in the seventh minute of injury time to knock out the Stones.

A dejected Walker looked on in disbelief after his side knocked out Chelmsford City 2-1 in Essex  just 13 days ago in the last round.

He told www.kentishfootball.co.uk : “I’m just thinking back to the Chelmsford game a couple of weeks ago when we defended so magnificently.

“To concede three goals of that calibre, I thought we were shocking defensively.

“As a team it sticks in my throat that the same lads can perform that sort of performance after the performance we produced at Chelmsford.”

But Maidstone United got off to a flying start, taking a ninth minute lead.

Austin started and finished the move, by playing a long diagonal ball to Nathan Paul on the right hand side of the penalty area, and after a few step overs, Paul’s pinpoint far post cross was met by a downward header by Rowland.

But visiting goalkeeper Paul Burgess produced a superb save to claw the header out but the ball fell nicely to Austin, rifling a right-footed shot into the roof of the net from 16-yards.

Ashford Town (Middlesex) created a couple of half chances when skipper Russell Canderton poked Ricky Wellard’s corner wide, after nipping in front of defender Lee Shearer, and then Scott Todd glanced Wellard’s left-footed free kick, from 30-yards, past the same post.

Maidstone midfielder - and skipper - Jim Strouts threaded a pass for Austin but his right-footed shot was off target.

And at the other end, Brett Cooper’s right-footed cross was met by a towering header from Stuart Lake, but once again the visitors were off target.

But free-kick taker Wellard then drove a left-footed shot straight into Pat Mullin’s grateful arms from his 27-yard free-kick.

Mullin, however, thwarted the visitors in the 51^st minute, tipping over Smith’s header following Wellard’s cross from the right.

Substitute Aaron Lacy unleashed one of his trademark rocket launches from the right hand side and the ball dropped to Paul some 20-yards from goal, but his left-footed drive sailed over.

But no-one at a chilly Bourne Park could envisage what was to happen to the Kent side in the last 23 minutes.

Palmer equalised in the 67^th minute with a left-footed drive across Mullin, finding the bottom far corner, from 18-yards on the right hand side of the area.

The Stones’ faithful were left stunned just eight minutes later when Smith drilled a shot from the edge of the penalty area into the net, after Scott Todd’s corner was dummied by a team-mate.

But their joy was short lived as Rowland equalised within a minute.

The on-form striker latched onto a poor defensive header, and roared on by the Stones’ faithful raced towards goal, and coolly rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home.

Maidstone’s plans for a midweek replay were, however, dashed when Baxter stroked home the winning goal with 51 minutes and 1 second on the clock, from 16-yards.

“We started the game very, very well and then sat off them and they didn’t listen to anything I said to them at half-time,” raged a “gutted” Walker.

“I didn’t think they were very good, Ashford Middlesex, but we played right into their hands, sat off them, lost our concentration defensively and conceded three shocking goals as far as I’m concerned.”

Walker, though, felt his side had enough to progress into the third qualifying round, and joins many Kentish sides that have been knocked out of the competition this weekend.

“I thought they were there for the taking,” he said. “I thought they were a poor side to be fair.

“They didn’t carve us open at all. I said “the only way we get beat today at the back was lose our conversation” and that happened with all three goals as far as I’m concerned.

“The second goal, the corner, I can’t believe that none of our players attacked the ball, which was driven across the six-yard box from the set-piece.

“To rub salt in the wounds they did exactly the same thing five minutes later and nearly got another one.

“I’m just livid with the way, as a team, we defended, not just livid with the back three or anything like that - as a team we were very, very poor.”

The Stones welcome Tooting & Mitcham United to Bourne Park in Ryman League Division One South action next Saturday, and Walker demands a positive reaction.

He said: “We’ll just have to pick ourselves up. The only way we can turn things around is to work hard.

“We’ve had enough in our armoury today to dispose of Ashford Town but we defended very, very badly on three or four occasions and that’s what cost us.”