Recap

Report

The Peacocks’ position near the bottom of the National League South table worsened that bit more with defeat in one of their games in hand on the sides immediately above them. It wasn’t for the want of trying though in a game of minimal chances, with Town putting in a real shift against the Kent promotion chasers, but an opportunity clinically taken at one end coupled with a lack of cutting edge at the other combined to register a sixth loss on the bounce.

The bizarre experience of a Taunton ‘home’ game being switched at short notice 75 miles up the road to Gloucester City due to the saturated state of the Wordsworth Drive pitch resulted in a meagre crowd of 126 and this contributed to the almost pre-season feel of the game in a sparsely populated stadium.

The only change from the Bath match saw Ross Stearn replace Nat Jarvis as the ‘hosts’ made a respectable start. Maidstone keeper Lucas Covolan punched clear Zac Bell’s long throw while a promising move unfortunately ended with Ollie Chamberlain sending his cross straight out. The Stones similarly threatened little in the first quarter, with Jephte Tanga’s driven strike into the box cleared and it wasn’t until the 20 minute mark that the first clear opening came as Mo Faal’s lay-off to Tanga saw him advance to fire narrowly past the far post.

Faal saw his shot deflect into the side netting and Lloyd James’ foul on Tanga gave the visitors a free kick in a decent position but Chi Ezennolim rifled his attempt over the bar as the visitors began to see clearer sight of goal, another opening coming when Town lost possession and Matt Rush broke clear but ran the ball out of play as he darted past Peacocks’ keeper Lloyd Irish. His opposite number Covolan was then forced to punch clear from Rabby Tabu Minzamba who got his head on the end of a Ben Acey cross to try and locate Seb Bolton in the middle before tricky customer Faal saw his shot deflect for a corner as the sides retired to the changing rooms on level terms following a relatively low key 45 minutes.

Minzamba fired a half volley wide from 25 yards when play resumed while Ezennolim’s beauty of a cross found Tanga, but Irish was there to hold the bouncing header as both sides tried to chisel out a chink in the opposition armour. Chamberlain’s cutback fell loose to Acey who had his strike blocked at close quarters, but the Stones were getting that much closer to the holy grail of a goal. After Marcus Day had replaced Bell for Town on the hour, Maidstone were close to an opener when Paul Appiah knocked down Bivesh Gurung’s hoisted free kick forward, falling for Faal to hook the loose ball over. However, with 64 minutes on the clock, the visitors engineered the breakthrough. Rush and Ezennolim combined down the left and when Rush’s cross to the far post was fed back out to Gurung, his high ball into the middle was expertly finished with some nifty footwork by Faal.

The Peacocks were down but not out. Jay Murray took over from Stearn with just under twenty to go but his side still had work to do to prevent the Stones from taking the game out of their reach. A poor free kick from Tanga failed to trouble Irish who then did superbly to block Ezennolim after he had latched onto Faal’s neat touch. Sub Matt Bentley’s centre just evaded Faal at the back post while another ball in from Bentley tried to pick out Sol Wanjau-Smith who couldn’t get a shot away under pressure from the excellent Callum Dolman who deservedly picked up the Town Man Of The Match award.

Jarvis replaced Bolton with six minutes left, triggering a late offensive from the Peacocks but for all their pressure a clear chance would not come. Day’s ball flashed across the face of goal and a deep James cross found Dan Ball whose header into the six yard box wouldn’t fall for anyone while several other deliveries into the box were managed by the Stones rearguard to confirm the three points and a step nearer a play-off place. For the Peacocks though seven games remain to secure safety and they will need the fighting spirit from this match replicated along with improvement in the final third to give themselves a chance.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Lloyd Irish, Zac Bell (Marcus Day 60), Dan Ball, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James (captain), Ben Acey, Rabby Tabu Minzamba, Ross Stearn (Jay Murray 70), Cameron Evans, Callum Dolman, Seb Bolton (Nat Jarvis 84). Unused subs:  Jaden Brown, Evander Grubb

Maidstone: Lucas Covolan, Chi Ezennolim, George Fowler, Raphe Brown, Sam Corne (captain), Mo Faal (Sol Wanjau-Smith 79), Sam Bone (Matt Bentley 71), Jephte Tanga, Bivesh Gurung, Paul Appiah, Matt Rush (Reiss Greenidge 90+4). Unused subs: Michael Adu-Poku, Harley Earle

 Officials

Referee: Callum Fisk (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Said Ouchene (Paulton)
Referee’s Assistant 2: Adam McAnoy (Cheltenham)

Attendance

126

Reaction

Unfortunately due to technical issues there is no post-match interview available

Highlights

Match highlights courtesy of Maidstone United FC can be seen HERE

Photos

Match photos from club photographer Darren Harris can be viewed HERE

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance MOM

Callum Dolman receives the Taunton Town Man Of The Match award from Peacocks’ coach driver Hayley Kerslake