Match Report: Maidstone United 2 Yeovil Town 1

Yeovil Town lost 2-1 on the road to Maidstone United this afternoon. First half goals from Mo Faal and Matt Rush put Maidstone in the driving seat and Dylan Morgan’s strike only ended up as a consolation.

There were some unsavoury scenes towards the end of the game, which is great following last night’s statement from the club.

The Glovers sit 10 points clear with a game in hand on Worthing. Here’s how Coatesie saw it from the away end…

First half

For the second match in a row, the formation was something of a mystery. But, the surprise was Alex Whittle started in the centre of a defensive four with Morgan Williams on the right and Jay Foulston on the left, pairing Whittle with Jake Wannell.

With 12 minutes gone, a foul from Wannell on Matt Rush was about as close to the penalty area as it is possible to get. A ball in to the back post was met by Rhys Greenidge who played it back in to the middle and Mo FAAL turned it home. The big striker, on loan from Havant & Waterlooville, had scored twice against the Glovers for his parent club on August Bank Holiday and came back to haunt us.

That change the formation with Worthington going to right back and Whittle to a more familiar left back, with the home side’s tails up.

With 17 minutes, Frank Nouble had Yeovil’s first opportunity on target as he burst in to the box and fired in a shot which Lucas Colovan turned wide for a corner.

But two minutes later it was 2-0 to the home side. Great work from Lamar Reynolds down the left side found Matt RUSH at the back post and he headed home. The threat was from Reynolds down the Maidstone left with a Michael Smith shaped hole down that side of the visitors’ defence.

Call it a plastic pitch, FA Cup fever, whatever you like, Yeovil could not cope with the home side who appeared stronger and hungrier of the two sides.

A long-range effort from Sam Pearson went comfortably wide after half-an-hour, before a a well-worked move came to Jay Foulston on the edge of the box flew just wide two minutes later. But the visitors were being restricted to long-range efforts.

Ironically, the best move we put together all half came as two minutes of additional time were announced. A move which ended with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton picking out Jordan Young on the edge of the box but he pulled his shot wide.

The final action of the first half saw Wannell make a superb block to spare Joe Day another stop, but that was as good as it got for the normally composed centre half who had a first half to forget.

Half time: Maidstone United 2 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

There were no changes at half-time but there was a formation change with Foulston starting at right back with Whittle on the left.

The opening 10 minutes of the second half offered very little in terms of chances for either side with the best chance falling to Pearson. Set free down the left by Josh Owers but his effort was high and not that handsome.

Dylan Morgan was introduced in place of Owers with 56 minutes gone, but Maidstone seemed quite happy to let us have possession and the result was a pretty tame start to the second half.

On 62 minutes, that possession led to a good chance with Nouble appearing on the left and finding Pearson who could not get a good enough connection to force a chance. That was his last chance of the match as he was replaced by Olly Thomas with 65 minutes played.

Despite seemingly moving down a gear this half, Maidstone showed they still posed a threat cutting through our defence with substitute Jephte Tanga feeding defender Sam Bone who poked his effort wide.

Just when this game looked like it was set to go to sleep it burst in to life as Yeovil pulled one back. With 15 minutes remaining, Nouble pulled clear inside the box and laid it back to Dylan MORGAN who coolly stroked home his first goal for his new side.

At the other end, Tanga had a shot superbly turned over by Day before Greenidge had the ball in the net from the following corner, only for the offside flag to deny him.

Witt two minutes of normal time remaining, Alex Fisher, back on the bench following his loan spell at Oxford City, replaced Young.

The action off the pitch seemed livelier than on it as the game closed to an end. Both sets of supporters, housed head-to-head had been simmering at each other all game and it spilled over as the Glovers pushed for an equaliser. Things were thrown from both sides and there was plenty of people marched out of the Gallagher Stadium. No-one comes out of that looking great.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, a last hurrah saw Yeovil in injury time. Nouble flicked one wide from a corner and Wannell’s shot hit Fisher and deflected wide. The points went to Maidstone and on the basis of their first half dominance, that was probably fair.

Full time: Maidstone United 2 Yeovil Town 1

Match Details

Venue: Gallagher Stadium
Date: Saturday 3rd February – 3pm

Competition: National League South

Pitch: Plastic
Conditions: 

Attendance: 3119

Scorers: Mo Faal, Matt Rush, Dylan Morgan

Bookings: 
Yeovil Town: Wannell, 12
Maidstone United:Sam Bone 75, Reiss Greenidge 80

Referee: Dave McCarrick

Yeovil Town (5-2-3)

Substitutes: Dylan Morgan (for Josh Owers, 56), Olly Thomas (for Sam Pearson, 65) Alex Fisher (for Jordan Young, 88)

Maidstone United: Lucas Covolan, Reece Greenidge, George Fowler, Raphe Brown, Liam Sole (Chi Ezennolim 76), Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong (Jephte Tanga 61), Sam Corne, Sam Bone, Lamar Reynolds, Mo Faal (Manny Duku 64), Matt Rush. Substitutes (not used):Harley Earle, Bivesh Gurung