Manager Tristan Lewis was able to make just one change from the side that gained a creditable point the previous Tuesday, with Elliot Benyon returning to lead the line, replacing Michael Malcolm in the starting lineup on United’s first ever visit to the Gallagher Stadium on a blisteringly hot Kentish day, and their first competitive game on a 3G surface.
Retaining the 4-5-1 formation that worked well in the previous game, with Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Alex Osborn providing the support wide.
The early running was made by the home side, with several diagonal balls from skipper Steve Watt being played behind the United defence. In the 10th minute, one of these balls found Mitchell Pinnock on the left wing – he moved the ball inside to Joe Healy, only for his shot to miss wide right. However, just a minute later, a Pinnock corner found Jay May unopposed in the box, planting a solid header past the helpless Dan Lincoln in the United goal.
Maidstone continued to press, as Hayes & Yeading failed to settle, and only the woodwork saved United from going 2-0 down, when Joe Healy struck a powerful shot from 25 yards, which cannoned off the bar to safety.
Hayes & Yeading then started to move in to the game a bit more, and on 20 minutes, the impressive Jake Nicholson threaded through a great ball to Alex Osborn, only for the Maidstone ‘keeper to come out well to close down the attack. It was a similar story minutes later, as another Nicholson through ball gave a great chance to Osborn. The Maidstone stopper clearly brought Osborn down, an easy decision for the referee in awarding a penalty kick. However, despite it being an obvious goalscoring opportunity and potentially a red card offence, the referee decided to keep his cards in his pocket.
With regular penalty taker, Ismael Ehui, only on the bench, Luke Williams stepped up to take the penalty, only for the keeper to save down to his right hand side, keeping the score at 1-0.
Immediately play moved to the other end of the pitch, and with lively Alex Akrofi bearing down on goal, Ed Sanders was adjudged to have fouled him in the United box, and the referee immediately dismissed the United centre back, and awarded a penalty. There could be no complaints on this decision, but frustrations started to boil up due to the lack of similar action at the other end of the pitch 60 seconds earlier.
Akrofi picked himself up from the ground, and despatched the penalty to the ‘keepers right, completing the turnaround from a possible 1-1 scoreline moments earlier to a 2-0 deficit and United down to 10 men.
At this point, Rhys Murrell-Williamson was sacrificed to bring on Lewis Ferrell in the rearguard.
The controversy was far from over at this point, as United were still making good chances. A sublime long range shot from fully 40 yards from Tyrell Miller-Rodney had ‘keeper Lee Worgan frantically back peddling. The ball could only be palmed up in to the air, with the keeper pushing the ball away whilst apparently over the goal line, before being cleared.
United then lost influential midfielder Luke Williams to a hamstring strain on 37 minutes, resulting in Harry Grant making his entrance to the game.
Moments later, further frustration started to boil over on the United bench, when Elliot Benyon appeared to be elbowed off the ball down the sidelines – The referee and assistants saw nothing wrong, and play continued. At this point, the referee took exception to the bench and sent off the United Manager Tristan Lewis.
In the fourth minute of added time, a 30 yard free kick from Jake Nicholson was superbly turned round the post, as United continued to attempt to resolve matters on the pitch. The resultant corner came to Howard Hall, who could only guide his header past the post as the sound of the referee’s whistle sounded.
The second half started very slowly, with chances few and far between, with Maidstone content to move the ball around in midfield taking advantage of the additional man. However, the lead was increased in the 70th minute when a header from a seemingly offside Akrofi beat Lincoln, and United were facing an even greater hill to climb.
It was United that nearly pulled a goal back in the 74th minute, when a through ball from Harry Grant found Elliot Benyon on the edge of the 6 yard box, but his scuffed shot was easily saved by Worgan.
Benyon then made way for top-scorer, Ismael Ehui, and the substitute did manage to get a consolation goal in the 89th minute, when a defensive error let him in clear on goal, and blasted in to the net for his fourth goal of the season.
The game tapered off to an end, and United were left to rue the chances in the first half, along with certain decisions that did not go the way of the Hayes & Yeading side – the majority of the 1,906 fans departing happy.
Report by Andy Corbett.
United Man of the Match: Jake Nicholson.
Jake Nicholson
Ed Sanders
