Report: Farnborough 0-2 Stones
The Stones started brightly and might have taken the lead with just three minutes gone. Taylor Foran slipped the ball to Sam Corne whose decent cross was brought down by Deon Moore. Moore unselfishly played the ball back to Jephte Tanga who was in a central position and his rising shot was tipped over the bar by Jack Turner.
Not long after this, another good move from the Stones left Antony Papadopoulos running into the box but he shot well over. Moments later, Maidstone did open the scoring. Corne was bustling about in midfield and hit a decent ball to Moore. Moore backheeled it before running onto the ball and pulling it back to Gilbert who swept it past Turner.
Maidstone continued to look strong going forward. On 23 minutes, Gilbert battled to win the ball and played it to Moore who laid it off to Corne who dug a shot out which went over the bar.
Corne then picked out Papadopoulos who found Moore. Moore’s low strike was well stopped by Turner and then from the rebound, Turner denied Moore once again.
It wasn’t until the last minute of the first half that Farnborough threatened. The ball came to Ryan Huke just outside the box and his clearing effort just cleared the bar.
Ten minutes into the second half, Harness dropped the ball as it came into the box. It looked as though Kai Jennings would score but Harness recovered to make the save and after a scramble, Maidstone got the ball away. Not long after this, Farnborough broke quickly and Dominic Poleon’s low drive was deflected wide by David Sesay.
Then on 64 minutes, Gilbert got his second of the afternoon to ensure Maidstone got the three points. Tanga ran along the edge of the box before finding Papadopoulos who drove to the byline and pulled the ball back to Gilbert who scored from close range.
Farnborough: –
Maidstone United: John Gilbert 11, 64
Farnborough: 1. Jack Turner, 7. Jack Young (16. Renny Smith 68), 8. Louis Lomas, 10. Kai Jennings, 14. Dominic Poleon, 15. Ali Omar (6. Lachlan Byrd 37), 19. Toby Bower, 21. Ryan Huke (2. Luciano D’auria-Henry 45), 24. Hakeem Sandah, 26. Mason Bloomfield (29. Teddy Tarbotton 69), 27. Oliver Hobden (9. Rakish Bingham 45). Subs not used: 12. Connor Harris, 17. Harry Clout.
Maidstone United: 1. Nathan Harness, 2. David Sesay, 5. George Fowler, 24. Taylor Foran, 18. Sam Oguntayo (3. Leo Hamblin 45), 6. TJ Bramble, 8. Sam Corne, 20. Antony Papadopoulos (22. Teo Kurtaran 81), 7. Jephte Tanga (17. Riley Court 70), 10. John Gilbert (16. Jesse Nwabueze 81), 9. Deon Moore (12. Dajon Golding 74). Subs not used: 13. Lenny Holden, 4. Lexus Beeden.