Replay frustrating viewing
MAIDSTONE
TV replays of Guiseley’s injury-time penalty only added to the frustration of dropped points for Maidstone.
Just as everyone suspected, Reece Prestedge was hard done by as Will Hatfield threw himself to the floor. Frank Mulhern scored from the spot to cancel out Zavon Hines’ 12th-minute opener.
It was like Barrow revisited as United faced Paul Cox’s new team, a week after beating his old one.
He’s not been at Guiseley long but he already has them in the same mould – big and physical and difficult to play against.
They certainly tested Maidstone who maybe could have done without another 90 minutes of rough stuff.
It still looked as though they were going to grind out the win but referee Neil Hair’s penalty call changed that.
Jack Richards returned to the starting line-up in place of Johan ter Horst as United made one change to the side beaten by Bromley.
Richards set up Maidstone’s 12th-minute opener which came pretty much from their first attack, the Guiseley defence making a mess of his cross to gift Hines a simple finish.
It was harsh on the visitors who’d started brightly, including a Mike FondopTalom shot across goal in the opening seconds which Lee Worgan turned past the post for a corner.
United had lost Magnus Okuonghae to injury – the impressive Alex Finney taking his place – by the time Guiseley went close again midway through the half. Worgan’s fist from a John Rooney cross presented the ball straight to Rob Atkinson but the Stones keeper made an excellent recovery save as the shot went out for a corner.
Richards had a goal ruled out for offside after Joe Pigott met a Hines corner as Maidstone celebrations were cut short 10 minutes before the break.
There were further chances in the last few minutes of the half, closerange shots from Pigott and Richards blocked by Lewis Freestone and Connor Brown respectively.
Then, in added time, Richards collected a Hines pass on the edge of the box, curling the ball past the post.
Guiseley were asking questions early in the second half, Lee Molyneux close from the edge of the area and Atkinson’s header from a corner blocked on the line.
It took Maidstone until the 75th minute to register a genuine chance, Hines flashing a header wide from Reece Prestedge’s corner.
There were still three minutes of injury time to play after Mulhern’s leveller, Pigott seeing a penalty claim waved away. Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Anderson, Okuonghae (Finney 17mins), Wynter, Lewis, Prestedge, Reason, Hines (ter Horst 88mins), Pigott, Richards (Wraight 81mins). Subs not used: Paxman, Muldoon. Attendance: 2,552 (33 away).