Wednesday, 29 September 2021

Bath City 0 Maidstone United 3

Taken from Kent Online:

 In-form Joan Luque scored twice as Maidstone eased past Bath City at Twerton Park.

The winger’s double, including a brilliant second, took his tally for the season to seven as United maintained their unbeaten record in National League South.

Defender Taylor Curran had given Maidstone a half-time lead with his first goal for the club, on his return from a one-match ban.

Curran was one of three changes to the side who beat Chichester in the FA Cup last weekend, coming back in for Raphe Brown.

The Stones also restored Tom Hadler - fit after a quad injury - and Christie Pattisson in place of Billy Johnson and Alfie Pavey.

Bath, who’d won three and lost three of their opening six games, tested the Stones defence in the opening minutes, Jerome Binnom-Williams blocking Elliott Frear’s strike and George Elokobi intercepting a dangerous cross from Eddie Jones.

It was scrappy for large periods of the first half although Maidstone always looked bright when Sam Corne got on the ball in midfield and looked to get Roarie Deacon away.

It was Corne who had the Stones’ first strike on goal - blocked after Regan Booty’s shanked shot from a Deacon corner fell his way.

Maidstone took the lead from one of their six first-half corners, with 15 minutes played.

Curran saw his header from Booty’s ball in come back off the post and he reacted quickest to force home the follow-up.

Binnom-Williams put in a good challenge on Frear in the box as Bath looked for a quick response, the ball running to Momodou Touray on the edge of the box and his shot hit the post.

Elokobi cut out Touray’s cross - an important interception with Tom Smith lurking - while the Stones went close to number two when Pattisson’s shot on the turn from Luque’s pass went inches wide off a home defender.

Elokobi mopped up again early in the second half after Fletcher ran on to a long ball and cut inside Curran but there was a hairy moment for the Stones skipper moments later when he sliced a clearance into Hadler’s hands.

Maidstone doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half with a lovely counter-attack that saw Corne get away up the right and play in a cracking low cross for Luque to flick home.

Elokobi threw himself at Joe Raynes’ goalbound strike to deny Bath a route back into the game.

And the Stones pulled clear with a classy goal in the 77th minute, the build up and finish equally special.

Pattisson’s flick round the corner found Jake Gallagher, who freed Luque up the left with a lovely pass.

The Spaniard cut inside, beating several players before rolling the ball into the bottom corner.

Pattisson went close to a spectacular fourth from out on the byline after spotting Murphy Mahoney in no man’s land, the ball going just over the bar with the keeper beaten all ends up.

Attendance: 1,084

Referee: Dale Wootton.

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