Match Report: Chippenham Town

The result means that Maidstone have won just once in seven matches. Further, the last two defeats have come away at sides in the bottom four and are battling to avoid relegation. Defeat also means that the Stones are now in 13th place, eight points outside the playoffs.

On eight minutes, Muhammadu Faal did well to hang onto the ball and he passed to Leo Hamblin who drove to the byline. His cross evaded Faal but eventually came back out to Sam Corne whose effort was deflected just wide.

Not long after this, Chippenham had a decent chance to open the scoring. Tom Mehew tried to drill the ball goalwards and it fell to Caine Bradbury who diverted it over the bar when well placed.

Faal then battled to win the ball. He laid it off to TJ Bramble who found John Gilbert whose shot went wide of the right post.

On 22 minutes, Jamie Yila, who was causing Chippenham problems on the right, picked out Faal and he forced Will Henry to parry his low effort. After this, there was little to really note until early on in the second half. The Stones enjoyed a productive spell of possession which ended with Sam Corne putting the ball into the box only for it to bounce off Faal and go wide.

Moments later, Faal was involved again. This time he surged into space inside the box and drew a smart block from Henry. Maidstone then had a goal ruled out for offside after John Gilbert had lifted Corne’s scuffed effort into the net.

The Stones continued to threaten with Riley Court keeping the Chippenham defence busy and on 50 minutes, Court laid the ball off to Leo Hamblin. Hamblin lifted the ball into the box and it came to TJ Bramble who screwed his shot wide.

As the second half wore on, Chippenham began to look the more likely of the two sides to score. With 12 minutes remaining, former Maidstone player Sol Wanju-Smith, who had replaced Caine Bradbury at the break, crossed for substitute Anointed Chukwu who hit the post.

Late on, the Stones broke forward. Hamblin went for goal from distance and the ball took a slight deflection as it flew wide. But then, deep in stoppage time, Chippenham grabbed the winner to ensure Maidstone’s play-off hopes suffered another knock.

Chippenham Town 1: Harry Parsons 90+6

Maidstone United 0: –

Chippenham Town: 1. Will Henry, 20. Will King, 6. Luke Haines, 3. Freddie Grant, 2. Lewis Colwell (34. Callum Wood 77), 4. Tom Mehew, 8. Jake Evans, 16. Caine Bradbury (32. Sol Wanjau-Smith 45), 11. Ezio Touray, 10. Tom Owen-Evans (31. Anointed Chukwu 69), 9. Harry Parsons. Subs not used: 14. Olaf Koszela, 19. Canice Carroll, 22. Henry Sady.

Maidstone United: 1. Nathan Harness, 2. David Sesay (15. David Agbontohoma 90+4), 24. Taylor Foran. 5. George Fowler, 3. Leo Hamblin, 6. TJ Bramble, 8. Sam Corne, 11. Jamie Yila (7. Jephte Tanga 63), 10. John Gilbert (23. Hamzad Kargbo 79), 17. Riley Court (9. Deon Moore 63), 22. Muhammadu Faal (19. Ruben Carvalho 74). Subs not used: 13. Lenny Holden.