Fightback adds fuel to Stones’ title bid
MAIDSTONE HEMEL HEMP
Report: Pictures: Title talk went up a notch after superb strikes from Callum Driver and Vas Karagiannis led Maidstone to victory from a goal down.
Manager Jay Saunders even acknowledged publicly for the first time his side were contenders but was quick to stress there was no pressure and that real pressure would be fighting relegation.
A lively game at the Gallagher last Saturday finished 10-a-side, Hemel’s Adam Bailey-Dennis and then United’s Tom Mills shown second yellow cards.
Play-off contenders Hemel made a flying start and having already gone close through Graeme Montgomery’s deflected strike from the edge of the area, they were in front after six minutes.
The defending was none too clever – a theme of the first half at both ends – as Ricky Wellard got in between Callum Davies and Manny Parry from a cross and cushioned a volley into the corner.
Maidstone started to get a hold with Dan Sweeney dragging a decent chance wide after a free-kick from Karagiannis wasn’t dealt with and on 17 minutes they were level. Driver did well to work his way into the box, beating two players before crashing a terrific effort into the top corner with the angle still against him.
Montgomery’s strike was well held by Worgan as Hemel hit back in a game that was fast turning into one of the most entertaining at the Gallagher all season.
The swirling wind and a card-happy referee in Ashvin Degnarin only added to the drama, five players booked in the first half alone, Jay May and Mills from Maidstone.
May was denied by a flying Jamie Butler save after a freekick dropped on the edge of the box, then back-to-back Karagiannis corners saw Driver glance a header across goal from a decent position, with unmarked Sweeney then heading into the ground and inches over from six yards.
A big Hemel side continued to look dangerous but the better chances were falling to Maidstone.
Davies, also unmarked, nudged wide inside the six-yard box, then Karagiannis finished tamely when played in by Jack Paxman towards the end of the half.
But the winger went back to doing what he does best in the third minute of injury time, striking a beauty to put Stones in front.
Keeper Butler folded under pressure from May, gifting the ball to Karagiannis who worked an angle for a shot and bent a superb strike into the far top corner.
Hemel were reduced to 10 men after 63 minutes when BaileyDennis picked up his second booking – both for silly handballs.
Worgan’s tip-over from Ibra Sekajja on the half-volley kept United in front, followed by an excellent block from Wellard.
It was 10 v 10 in the 82nd minute, Mills shown a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Sekajja. Maidstone: Worgan, Davies, Mills, Davies, Parry, Sweeney, Karagiannis, Healy, May, Paxman (Rogers 71mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Birchall, Akrofi, Taylor, Richards. Attendance: 2,481.