Match Report

Maidstone United
0
Hendon
3
Date:
Tuesday 09 February 2010
Competition:
Isthmian League Premier Division
Attendance:
128
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

(Please note that all of our regular match reporters were unable to attend this fixture. The report has been put together based on information given to David Ballheimer by those who were at the game).

Hendon took full advantage of an injury-hit Maidstone United, under new management (the previous management duo having left the club the previous day), to record the Greens' first away Isthmian League victory against these Stones since September 1970. The 3-0 winning scoreline was achieved in the opening 26 minutes, after which Hendon were able to coast to victory.

Hendon climbed to 14th position, their best for more than two months. The Greens have three games in hand on all three of the teams above them and none are more than three points ahead of them.

In the mad scramble that is the Ryman League Premier Division table, Hendon are now just eight points off a playoff place, and five above the relegation zone. All eight teams below Hendon also have played more matches and have significantly inferior goal differences.

Bradley Woods-Garness was replaced in the starting line-up by Saturday's match-winner Peter Dean in an otherwise unchanged XI. James Burgess had recovered from his illness and he made it a four-man bench.

The Greens could hardly have made a better start. In the seventh minute, Casey Maclaren received a pass just outside the Maidstone penalty area, took a couple of steps forward and fired at goal.

The shot was almost straight down the middle and seemed to be a routine save for Jamie Turner. But whether it was the uneven Homelands pitch or a simple goalkeeping error, the ball somehow found its way into the back of the net.

Two minutes later, the good start got even better. Once again the Hendon approach play was excellent, this time down the right wing, and the Maidstone defence was all at sea when the ball was crossed into the box. No one had covered James Bent's run and he sent a simple header past Turner.

Maidstone had little answer to Hendon's passing on a difficult surface, though they did come close to cutting the Greens' lead midway through the half, when Anthony Bodle's header, from a Keelan Mooney cross, sailed inches away from the angle of post and crossbar. That said, if the Greens had been a little more clinical in their final ball, it might not have taken until the 26th minute for them to receive further reward.

Goal number three came from Jamie Busby, this time a shot from 25 yards. Turner's confidence was now clearly affected and the ball again taking a bad bounce from a divot in the penalty area to beat him for a third time certainly didn't improve matters.

Moments before half-time, Hendon almost added a fourth. Bradley Thomas has come close to breaking his Hendon duck on a number of occasions. He probably won't get closer than this header that bounced off the crossbar and went away to safety.

When the half-time whistle blew, Hendon players trotted off confident that the hard work had been done. The Greens could certainly have gone out and tried to extend their lead further, but with so many games coming up in the next few weeks, it made good sense to be conservative in style.

That did allow Maidstone to come back into the match, at least in terms of possession and chances. Former Hendon star Jermaine Darlington attacked brightly from his wing-back position and from one of his crosses, James Pinnock struck a half-volley which required a save by James Reading using his legs to block the ball.

Bodle then set up Danny Hockton with an excellent chance. The striker had only Reading to beat but he was unable to hit the target. After an hour, Peacock was again denied by Reading, the goalkeeper this time making a fine one-handed save.

Hendon were happy to attack on the counter and although they were unable to add to their advantage, Maidstone rarely looked like getting a goal themselves. Three late second half-substitutions made it clear that the Hendon management team was happy to hold on to what they had got.

A delighted Hendon manager Gary McCann said, "We could have gone in at half-time more than 3-0 up. Our football in the first half was really good and although we weren't quite as good in the second half, we were able to coast a little bit.

"It is very pleasing to back up Saturday's win with another one and to pick up six points from two very difficult and long away trips.

"I am pleased to say that we didn’t pick up any injuries either, so we will have a full squad to pick from for the run of games over the next couple of weeks. We have got some momentum now and I want to build on it."

Report by David Ballheimer

Hendon

1
James Reading
2
Dave Diedhiou
3
Scott Cousins
4
Bradley Thomas
5
James Parker
6
Jamie Busby
7
James Bent
8
Lee O'Leary
9
Casey Maclaren
10
Wayne O'Sullivan
11
Peter Dean
12
Kevin Maclaren
14
Bradley Woods-Garness
15
James Burgess
17
Craig Vargas

Match Events

7''
Casey Maclaren
9''
James Bent
26''
Jamie Busby
Steve Elliott replaced Shannon O'Donovan
46''
Lyndon Rowland replaced Keelan Mooney
67''
73''
Kevin Maclaren replaced James Bent
73''
Bradley Woods-Garness replaced Wayne O'Sullivan
Alex Flischer replaced Jermaine Darlington
75''
83''
Craig Vargas replaced Casey Maclaren

Maidstone United

1
Jamie Turner
2
Nathan Paul
3
Ashley Ulph
4
James Peacock
5
Peter Hawkins
6
Ant Bodle
7
Keelan Mooney
8
Jermaine Darlington
9
James Peacock
10
Danny Hockton
11
Shannon O'Donovan
12
Lyndon Rowland
14
Alex Flischer
15
Steve Elliott
16
Ashley Russell
17
Richard Knell