Goal joy turns to late anguish
BATH 1
Brunt 90+6
MAIDSTONE 1
Johnson 76
An injury-time penalty cost Maidstone victory at Bath on Saturday.
They looked set to hold on for three points after Ryan Johnson’s thumping secondhalf header.
But keeper Chris Lewington, deputising for Jake Cole, conceded a spot-kick in the fifth minute of added time after clattering Tom Richards.
And Ryan Brunt stepped up to send him the wrong way from the spot.
It was gutting for Maidstone, with the allotted four minutes of added time already up, and for Lewington, who otherwise had looked confident and assured on his return to the team.
Ross Marshall came in for his debut, less than 24 hours after joining, taking Clovis Kamdjo’s place in midfield, while Iffy Allen came in on the right. There were precious few chances at either end in a first half that saw Maidstone start promisingly before Bath got their football going on a big Twerton Park pitch.
Some of City’s play was easy on the eye but bar a couple of deflected shots from outside the area, they didn’t trouble Lewington, who was making his first start of the season. One of those deflected strikes brought an excellent stop from United’s goalkeeper coach. He was already committed to diving left when Tom Smith went for goal from the edge of the box but when the ball went the other way, he did brilliantly to stick out a leg and keep Maidstone on level terms. At the other end, Dan Wishart and Allen got in several decent crossing positions on either flank.
It was a Wishart centre that led to the first chance, Matt McClure unable to get a decent connection, while George Elokobi’s header from a Noah Chesmain corner was comfortably saved.
Adam Mann wasted an opening from Ross Stearn’s pass for Bath just after the break, while Ibby Akanbi headed wide from Allen’s cross at the other end.
City were making most of the running, without creating much in front of goal, although they went close with a cracking 30-yard free-kick from Stearn that hit the base of the post. From looking happy to sit back and soak up pressure, Maidstone took the lead in the 76th minute. The goal came Chesmain’s corner, with Johnson planting a terrific header past Ryan Clarke. Richards saw a late effort flash wide and Smith’s shot was blocked by Johnson before the late penalty drama.
Maidstone: Lewington, Hoyte, Johnson, Elokobi, Chesmain, Marshall, Khan, Allen (Kyei 76min), McClure, Wishart (Amaluzor 71), Akanbi (Edwards 83). Subs not used: Kamdjo, Embery. Att: 1,387.