Reason strikes at the death
MAIDSTONE
week ago. Out went Reece Prestedge, Delano Sam-Yorke and Darius Osei, with Josh Hare, Jack Paxman and Andre Coker coming into the team in a switch to 3-5-2.
A back three had proved effective when Stones won at Torquay in the first round of the Trophy before Christmas and they looked secure pretty here too.
The change in formation saw Coker and Loza paired up top and there were promising signs, particularly given they hardly know each other’s game yet.
Pressure was building in the second half and Maidstone were rewarded with the opening goal in the 59th minute.
Loza picked up possession 20 yards out and beat two defenders before thumping the ball into the roof of the net.
It was all Maidstone but they were rocked by an equaliser out of nothing in the 72nd minute.
Gateshead got away down the left with Scott Barrow’s cross headed goalwards by substitute Lewis McNall and helped in by Stones centrehalf Alex Wynter.
The Stones had a big penalty shout turned down soon after, Magnus Okuonghae adamant he’d been pulled back and letting referee Richard Hulme know what he thought.
Hulme wasn’t interested and Maidstone found themselves behind with eight minutes left.
The ball reached Richard Peniket whose shot took a big deflection off Hare and went in the far corner.
Maidstone threw everything at Gateshead in search of an equaliser and it came when Reason’s deflected strike from 20 yards made it 2-2. Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi (ter Horst 87mins), Anderson, Hare, Okuonghae, Wynter, Lewis, Paxman (Sam-Yorke 46mins), Reason, Coker (Osei 87mins), Loza. Subs not used: Prestedge, Muldoon. Attendance: 1,186 (28 away).