Martin double in draw
Maidstone
Maidstone let slip a two-goal lead in their Kent/ Sussex Regional 1 match against Eastbourne.
The visitors fought back to draw 2-2, scoring their equaliser late on.
Joe Martin had struck twice to put Maidstone in charge.
The first goal came from a penalty corner as Brendan Baker fired the ball across goal for Martin to deflect past a stranded goalkeeper.
Martin’s second was the result of an unintentional one-two at the top of the circle. He played the ball into Joe Broadbent who spun and shot – only for Martin to trap the ball as it was heading towards the goal, control it and then push it past the goalkeeper.
Eastbourne got one back before the break but Maidstone were unable to pull clear again as the visiting keeper frustrated them.
The match was drawn when Eastbourne scored from a penalty corner.
The ladies finished their East Women’s League, Premier Division season with a 5-1 win over Holcombe 1A.
Maidstone had to come from behind to win, conceding midway through the first half after some sloppy play resulted in a short corner for Holcs which they slipped past keeper Bridgette Allen.
This was the motivation Maidstone needed to step up their game and Stephanie Lurshay took her chance to equalise after Charlotte Whelehan was fouled inside the 25, taking the free hit quickly and scoring from the top of the D.
Shortly after, some clever open play from Maidstone resulted in Laura Jackson deflecting the ball on the right post to put them ahead before the break.
Maidstone pinned Holcombe into their half for the majority of the second half and it was 3-1 when a short corner taken by Jessica Cremin was deflected off the post by Whelehan.
Lurshay added to her goal tally with a second from open play and Whelehan rounded things off.
The ladies’ 2nds are all-but-confirmed as Kent Women’s Division 1 champions after a 6-1 win over Tunbridge Wells 3rds at Armstrong Road left them three points ahead of nearest challengers Bromley & Beckenham 3rds.
BromBeck would need to overturn Maidstone’s far superior goal difference, requiring a 19-goal swing to do it against Sevenoaks Acorns on Sunday.
Slick teamwork led to Maidstone’s scored by Budd.
They kept the pressure on and two goals from Gracie Mei Wilsher put them 3- 0 up at the end of the half.
Jenny Duggan made it 4- 0, Budd slotted home the fifth and although Tunbridge Wells pulled one back, Maidstone had the final say through Helen Brown. first goal, Gabrielle F’stone 2 ...... 22 15 3 4 65 43 48 Marden Rus .. 20 14 3 3 75 32 45 Burnt Ash 2... 20 12 3 5 62 45 39 Blackhth 2 .... 21 10 2 9 46 43 32 Uni of Kent .... 21 8 4 9 66 73 28 Cant [4] 3 ..... 19 8 1 10 53 56 25 Cant [5] 4 ..... 21 8 1 12 54 65 25 Old Bords 2... 20 8 0 12 47 53 24 Cliftonville ..... 20 6 5 9 59 60 23 Maidstone 2.. 19 6 5 8 38 50 23 Holcmbe 2a .. 20 6 2 12 35 57 20 Ashford 2 ...... 21 5 3 13 52 75 18 Results: Ashford 2nds 7 Burnt Ash 2nds 3, Blackheath & OE 2nds 1 Canterbury 3rds 4, Canterbury 4ths 0 Maidstone 2nds 2, Holcombe 2a 1 Folkestone 2nds 1, Marden Russets 5 Cliftonville 3, University of Kent 2 Old Bordenians 2nds 5. Fixtures: Canterbury 3rds v Canterbury 4ths, Holcombe 2a v Burnt Ash 2nds, Maidstone 2nds v Marden Russets, Marden Russets v Canterbury 3rds. Blackhth Hth . 22 16 4 2 69 52 52 Old Willis 3 ... 21 16 1 4 64 34 49 Cobdown ...... 21 11 6 4 67 41 39 T Wells Vets .. 19 11 1 7 64 44 34 Maidstone 3.. 19 9 2 8 56 45 29 Old Bords 4... 20 8 3 9 46 56 27 Cant Griffins.. 20 7 4 9 54 46 25 Holcmbe 4A .. 19 5 8 6 40 49 23 Cliftonville 2 .. 21 6 2 13 47 55 20 T Wells 4 ...... 20 6 2 12 43 65 20 S’oaks Acrn .. 21 4 7 10 35 47 19 BromBeck 6 .. 21 3 0 18 30106 9 Results: Old Williamsonians 3rds 3 Canterbury Griffins 1, Cliftonville 2nds 7 Old Bordenian 4ths 0, Bromley and Beckenham 6ths 2 Tunbridge Wells Vets 6, Tunbridge Wells 4ths 4 Holcombe 4A 2, Maidstone 3rds 0 Blackheath and OEs Heathens 3, Sevenoaks Acorns 2 Cobdown 2. Fixtures: Tunbridge Wells Vets v