No way through at last
BRAINTREE
Maidstone kept their first clean sheet in 25 games to earn a valuable point at Braintree on Saturday.
Neither side really looked like scoring in a scrappy game but a battling performance made it three games unbeaten for Stones in their fight for National League survival.
Referee Alan Young’s whistle dominated a forgettable first half at Cressing Road.
There were 22 fouls in the opening 45 minutes – 12 given against the Stones – with the game not given a chance to get going. Throw into the Report: mix a difficult pitch and the wind and we were hardly looking at a classic.
Monty Patterson looked the brightest player for the Iron.
His effort was kicked away by Lee Worgan when the Stones defence was opened up after 10 minutes but that was the only genuine chance of the half at either end.
Former Stones player Manny Parry – given a nice reception by away fans – put a header wide from a corner while Patterson’s 20-yard strike was held by Worgan.
Jamie Coyle had the ball in the net at the other end but the whistle had gone while Alex Flisher picked up his 10th booking of the season, meaning a two-match ban.
Braintree missed a big chance to score at the start of the second half, Jack Midson somehow clearing the bar from two yards out after Worgan parried a header.
Jack Paxman had a shot from Reece Prestedge’s corner blocked for Maidstone, while Prestedge saw penalty appeals waved away after his effort was charged down.
Tom Mills then brought a good save from Sam Beasant after the ball sat up nicely to hit from 25 yards, with Delano Sam-Yorke lifting an effort on to the roof of the net after running on to Paxman’s pass. Braintree thought they’d scored with 15 minutes left, Midson following in after Worgan denied Reece Hall-Johnson but the flag was up. The game was opening up now, with Sam-Yorke’s strike blocked in a goalmouth scramble and the loose ball cleared. Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Mills, Coyle, Lokko, Prestedge, Lewis, Paxman ( Loza 86mins), Sam-Yorke, Pigott ( Odubade 79mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Taylor, McCarthy, Okuonghae. Attendance: 1,002 ( 445 Stones fans).