Mens 3s v Holcombe Hawks

Maidstone travelled to Holcombe to play the Hawks on Saturday. Holcombe, although the only team below Maidstone in the table prior to pushback, were not a team to be underestimated having a 2-0 win under their belt in this fixture last year, as well as a cagey 2-2 draw at Fort Du Tovil in the latter part of the season.

Maidstone were aware the umpires would take very little in the way of chat, and ironically the MHC captain was the one instructing the team to avoid being carded for dissent. Maidstone fielded a strong side and started very promisingly with pace, precise passing and persistent penetration into the opposing D. A wily run from Will produced the first short corner of the game, a rebound fell to Ash who questionably, cackhandedly, one handedly, tomahawked the ball into the bottom corner. Not long after, a second short followed. Straight strike from Waller, 2-0 Maidstone. Holcombe were struggling to deal with the tenacity of Maidstone’s attacks and MOTM Ash caught a reverse shot sweetly taking it past the keeper and leading the away side into the break 3-0 up.

Very little in the way of negativity at the team talk, MHC started the second half confident and Holcombe were not going away easily. The home side came at Maidstone quickly, quick hands from a centre-back turned striker and some handy young players did create promising opportunities, winning a short corner and almost converting - Stu Morisson had others ideas and cleared the shot off the line beautifully at shin height. The next short corner was saved by Al C but it fell to their striker who slotted it bottom corner to give the Hawks a glimmer of hope that a fight back was possible. 3-1.

A couple of poor tackles from Bromley and Will resulted in a green card....for Angus when he made the 3rd and final poor tackle during that period of play. Matt O clearly felt bad and got himself a yellow by superman diving at the feet of the opposing 16 year old, wiping him out entirely. Surprisingly, with a goal conceded and two men down heads did not drop for Maidstone, a quick free hit taken by the captain and a darting run into the D created space for a reverse shot, which flew into the top corner for Maidstone’s 4th of the day. The 5th and final goal came from Hip who drove into the D from the right and confidently struck the ball into the bottom left across the keeper.

No chat and a very well managed game by both umpires (one being 16) made this game a very enjoyable one regardless of the scoreline. Maidstone host Blackheath at home next weekend, where they hope to repeat this excellent performance and climb even further up the table against a side that now sit just 3 points and 3 places below.