Saturday 1 November 2014. FA Trophy, 1st Qualifying Round.
Maidstone United 3 Walton & Hersham 2.
At half-time Swans were harbouring thoughts of another shock FA Trophy win as they again led 2-1, but with the home side stepping up their play in the second-half they could not quite maintain their own level of performance, and they conceded the two goals that put them out.
This was Swans’ 100th match in the competition, and they could seldom have faced a tougher task as they met a side with a 100% record this season on their own artificial pitch, but in front of a home crowd of almost one and a quarter thousand they matched their high-flying Premier Division hosts for much of the game.
Recent signings from Hampton & Richmond Borough, Gareth Chendlik and Harry Mills, both made their first starts, while André Scarlett and Andrew Mensah both returned to the line-up.
Chendlik was soon being fouled just outside the edge of the box on the right, but Dominic Ogun’s free-kick went through low to home goalkeeper Lee Worgan.
At the other end Maidstone forced two corner-kicks in succession that Swans dealt with capably.
Swans then shocked the home crowd by taking the lead after eleven minutes. Chendlik made a surging run down the left, outpacing his marker, and when the ball went low past Worgan and into the far-corner, it had apparently found its’ way there via home skipper Jamie Coyle.
The lead was short-lived however, as after a quarter of an hour Swans conceded an equaliser in disappointing fashion. The ball was played into the box from the left, and when it was not cleared Jay May was allowed the time and space to pick his spot.
May could not then direct a header on target when Matt Bodkin made a good run on the right to get the ball across. Ogun was soon penalised for a foul on Bodkin just outside the right corner of the box, the Swans’ left-back picking up the first booking of the match.
Swans broke away following the free-kick and Dylan Cascoe got clear on the right, but Worgan got well behind his low shot. Tarome Hemmings then drove a shot over from the edge of the box.
Swans conceded another free-kick in a dangerous position when Nathan Daly fouled Tom Mills outside the left edge of the box, but Frannie Collin drove the ball wide of the near-post.
Swans had certainly not been overawed by their task, and just before the half hour they went close to regaining the lead. Scarlett played the ball down the left from a free-kick, and when it was laid across Worgan just managed to deny Chendlik on the goal-line. Chendlik then drove in a low shot from the edge of the box that Worgan went down on his line to save.
Maidstone quickly replied with Collin shooting wide from the right of goal.
Then with ten minutes left to the break the large home crowd was again stunned into silence when Swans went ahead again. Cascoe attacked down the right, and when Worgan came out he got in an awful mix-up with his defence and the ball ran past him towards his goal. Cascoe won the race to get to it, and tapped it over the line.
The home side looked rattled and both Alex Flisher and May picked up cautions for fouls in quick succession. The second resulted in a free-kick for Swans outside the left of the box, but Hemmings drove the ball through for Worgan to take on his line.
Another free-kick was conceded on the left in the final minute of normal-time, but Mensah struck the ball well over the goal.
The yellow cards were evened up when Daly was shown one for a strong challenge.
In first-half stoppage-time Maidstone’s Flisher took a long throw from the right, and May sent an overhead kick over the bar.
The second-half was only two minutes old when the home side equalised for the second-time. Flisher was played through into the left of the box, and he gave keeper Gary Ross little chance with strong, left-foot strike.
Maidstone seemed to have stepped up a gear, and Coyle put a header over from another Flisher long throw from the right. Jack Parkinson then placed a header wide after some good play on the right, and two successive corners quickly followed.
With a quarter of the match left Maidstone substitute Ben Greenhalgh drove a shot over from the left, but his side soon took the lead for the first time Parkinson crossed from the right and Flisher got in front of Mills to direct a header past Ross, who was left unsighted and had little chance to react.
Swans were not out of it, but they now had a mountain to climb, and the home side looked capable of adding to their lead. A good ball from the left picked out Collin on the right, and he cut inside to drive in a low shot that was fortunately straight at Ross. Then in the final minute Ross had to make a good block when Collin was played in.
Swans’ Team: Gary Ross, Nathan Daly, Dominic Ogun, André Scarlett, Jahmahl King, Harry Mills, Tarome Hemmings (Kadeem Ajeon 82’), Anthony Oaks (Vernon Francis 70’), Gareth Chendlik (Andrew Dalhouse 75’), Andrew Mensah, Dylan Cascoe. Subs. not used: Julian Bartos, Kwabena Osei. Scorers: Coyle, own goal (11’), Cascoe (35’). Cautions: Ogun, foul (19’), Daly, foul (45’).
Maidstone Team: Worgan, Starkey, Mills, Coyle, Miles, Jordan, Bodkin (Rogers 70’), Parkinson, May (Greenhalgh 64’), Collin, Flisher (Brown 73’). Subs. not used: Akrofi, Godmon. Scorers: May (15’), Flisher (47’ & 67’). Cautions: Flisher, foul (37’), May, foul (41’), Miles, dissent (59’).
