Match Report: Worthing (A)
There was pulsating late drama in Sussex as the Stones squandered the lead twice late on, which saw them only come away with a point from Worthing, but still keeping their unbeaten start to the season intact.
George Elokobi was able to name an unchanged side once again and in a very end to end contest first half, it was the Stones that struck first blood. Worthing’s Sam Packham failed to clear his lines properly as his scuffed clearance bounced off Deon Moore which left Dajon Golding in plenty of space to tuck home the opener from close range.
It seemed to wake the home side up slightly as minutes later, they very nearly hit back when a flicked on header from an in-swinging free kick went just wide on Nathan Harness’ post. Not long after, Jack Spong attempted a bicycle kick from 12 yards out which he caught well but couldn’t quite keep the effort down.
In a much needed break, Jephte Tanga was clipped inside the box by Worthing skipper Joel Colbran which gave the Stones their fourth penalty of the season already. With various players missing the last three, the responsibility fell to TJ Bramble who calmly sent Seb Stacey the wrong way to double Maidstone’s lead.
The Rebels should have hit back instantly when Nathan Odokonyero managed to take the ball past Harness on the edge of the box with the whole goal to aim at. However, his shot was superbly cleared off the line by George Fowler’s shoulder.
We managed to settle ourselves again as Tanga took the ball past Colbran before seeing two shots saved by Stacey to keep Worthing in the contest. Moments later, Dajon Golding managed to nod across goal looking for the far corner but was just a bit too high as it came bouncing off the roof of the net. With Golding on a yellow and one more foul away from being sent for an early bath, Elokobi introduced Riley Court and his first point of action was the lay the ball off for Bramble whose low shot was tipped around the post by Stacey.
With half-time iminant, the Stones would have been looking to get into the break with the clean sheet still intact but were hit with a blow moments before the whistle. Packham’s free kick to the back post was nodded across the 6-yard box by Joe Cook and Harry Ransom was there to nod home from close range and bring the Sussex side back into the match.
The goal gave clear momentum to Worthing as they looked to press for that equaliser early in the second half. However, John Gilbert was an inch away from restoring out two goal cushion when his free kick from 20 yards out went just wide of Stacey’s post.
Ex-Stone Razzaq Coleman De-Graft was causing plenty of problems in the second period as he cut inside of Court before seeing his powerful drive fall into the path of Harness. Odokonyero managed to get in behind Fowler this time with a ball over the top but on his weaker right foot, could only screw the low shot wide.
With various changes coming into play in the closing stages, the Stones were eventually broken down with 85 minutes on the clock, as Nicky Wheeler turned the ball home from close range after Coleman De-Graft managed to just keep the ball in play with his low cross.
The Stones would have been settled on a point, particularly as Rebels substitute Temi Babalola had two effort come back off the woodwork going into stoppage time.
It looked like the Stones were clinging on but three minutes into stoppage time, Elokobi’s men looked to have won it when Worthing failed to deal with a counter and the ball fell into the path of Josh Redfearn who managed to smash it into the roof of the net for his first for the club and send the travelling support into pure ecstasy.
Before the Stones could even get themselves together, the ultimate sucker punch came when Coleman’s De-Graft’s whipped cross was flicked on by Babalola into the back of the net which earnt the Rebels a deserved point.
Worthing: Harry Ransom 45+1’, Nicky Wheeler 85’, Temi Babalola 90+5’
Maidstone United: Dajon Golding 10’, TJ Bramble (pen) 22’, Josh Redfearn 90+3’
Worthing: 1. Seb Stacey, 2. Joel Colbran (C), 3. Sam Beard, 5. Joe Cook, 7. Razzaq Coleman De-Graft, 8. Odei Martin Sorondo (14. Temi Babalola 88 mins), 9. Nathan Odokonyero (21. Brad Dolaghan 64 mins), 10. Jack Spong, 11. Nicky Wheeler, 12. Harry Ransom, 16. Sam Packham (20. Matt Burgess 67 mins). Subs not used: 13. Taylor Seymour, 4. Kwaku Frimpong, 17. Bailey Smith, 18. Toby Byron.
Maidstone United: 1. Nathan Harness, 2. David Sesay, 3. Leo Hamblin (18. Sam Oguntayo 70 mins), 4. Lexus Beeden, 5. George Fowler, 6. TJ Bramble, 7. Jephte Tanga (16. Jesse Nwabueze 60 mins), 8. Sam Corne (C) (15. David Agbontohoma 78 mins), 9. Deon Moore (14. Josh Redfearn 73 mins), 10. John Gilbert, 12. Dajon Golding (17. Riley Court 39 mins). Subs not used: 13. Lenny Holden, 20. Patrick Casey.