BLUEBIRDS ARE ROLLED OVER BY THE STONES
AFTER back to back defeats against FC Halifax and Leyton Orient, Maidstone United bounced back with a narrow victory over Barrow and at the same time, the Stones bagged their first clean sheet of the season.
“I was desperate for a clean sheet,” said Maidstone manager Jay Saunders afterwards. “Barrow are a decent side so it was pleasing to get three points. We couldn’t just get that second goal to kill them off though and we should have.”
Just six minutes had gone when Stuart Lewis played a short pass out on the right to Michee Efete, who put a delightful cross into the box which was met by the towering Shamir Mullings and his downwards header beat Andrew Firth in the Barrow goal.
Barrow boss Ian Evatt was disappointed with the Bluebirds start and said: “Conceding the goal after six minutes gave us a mountain to climb. I am tired of people saying what a good side Barrow are. We need to start coming away with the points.”
After falling behind, the Bluebirds were the better side in the first half and John Rooney may have equalised for the visitors. Nathan Waterston played the ball in a central position just outside the area and Rooney let his frustration show after hitting the ball over.
Waterston then made a run forwards down the right and cut inside. He slightly overhit the ball allowing Lewis to get a touch but the ball ran to Rooney who arrived to strike a hard shot that looked destined for the left side of the net until the last minute when it suddenly swerved wide. Having mostly been second best, Maidstone then had a good chance to increase their lead ten minutes before the break. Some patient build-up play from the Stones ended with Andre Coker slipping a great ball to Blair Turgott. Firth was smartly off his line though and he managed to block Turgott’s effort. After the interval, Barrow barely threatened and Maidstone could have added to their tally when Jack Paxman had two one on ones with Firth. The first came when Kyle Jameson got caught in possession by Paxman but Firth came quickly out of his goal to snuff out the danger and then the second time, Firth was once again smartly out of his goal and he calmly knocked the ball away from Paxman’s stride.