Men's 1s 2-3 Folkestone Optimists

Visitors Folkestone sat second in the league prior to pushback - having lost just in their first seven. Maidstone prepared in the knowledge that the Optimists have a talented frontline that would need to be kept quiet if there was a good opportunity of a result.

Fast starts have been characteristics of the Stones this year and this was the most electric of the season so far. The visitors first controlled touch of the ball in the fixture was a pushback - but came when they were already needing to respond to a deficit. Maidstone transferred the ball strongly to the left hand side. A first time sweep down the line from Tom Elstone was met by Rob Clarkson, who started up front for the first time in a long while. Clarkson negotiated the left wing well, exchanging with Will Day. It was the latter, who then finished from just a couple of yards out. 1-0 with less than a minute on the clock.

Maidstone pressed a touch deeper against an opposition who it was known are prone to chuck the ball long. This was a tactic that worked particularly well. Folkestone's long chucks were plucked out the air by Maidstone's defence and the ball was back in blue and yellow possession. The success of the press in the opening stages was integral in the play where Maidstone were given the opportunity to double their lead. Earning a flick, Maidstone's skipper Chris Howson stepped up. Howson, having missed a flick the week prior, showed no nerves whatsoever. Despite the usual mind games in operation from the visiting keeper, Howson remained cool (perhaps spurred on by some bizarre pre-flick patter) as he flung it top right. Maidstone were ecstatic with their 2-0 lead.

Folkestone began to transfer the ball along the floor a touch more following the second goal. The flick had given them the opportunity to congregate and discuss an alternative way to approach the Maidstone press which had trumped them in the first ten minutes. Ultimately, good sides, will create opportunities. One of the first short corners given, albeit dubiously, saw them halve the deficit.

At 2-1 tempers on the part of the opposition rose. A Folkestone player, who had been operating at bottom of the diamond, was particularly unimpressed at the fact Maidstone decided to elect two runners to blitz out at short corners. Chris Howson's charge down of an attempted drag flick saw said character use a full array of language that somehow didn't see him reprimanded with some time on the touchline. Just moments later, a strong collision between Optimist captain and Josh Hawkes saw both leave the field. Hawkes - to a feared concussion. The Folkestone skipper - to a five minute yellow, which the umpires reflected after the game should likely have been ten. Unfortunately, Josh Hawkes was unable to return to the field of play, nor were Maidstone able to capitalise on their man advantage.

Returning to 11-men Folkestone began to pile on pressure. Clifford, who has a reverse hit that is notoriously strong, magicked up a tomohawk from deep in the far corner of the pitch. This pass fired into the P-spot where it was elegantly finished with a deflection. 2-2 was how the scores stood going into half-time.

Having lost Josh Hawkes, Maidstone decided to operate 3-at-the-back for the vast majority of of the second half. This is a formation that MHC had switched to on occasion last season, but had not used in the current. Despite this, they continued to defend well. The top of the D was protected professionally and consequently the visitors could only muster shots from obtuse angles.

Maidstone's best chance to take the lead came following nice work by the forward line down the right hand baseline. Howson timed a run perfectly as he daggered towards the P-spot, meeting the ball and glancing toward goal. Somehow, the visiting goalie pulled off the best save MHC had been subjected to all season - he tipped it wide of the post and kept the scoreline at two a-piece.

Despite defending stoically, FOHC were able to create one clear-cut chance in the second half. Said chance saw Will Mead, who scored the visitors' second, maneuver around Phil Skillen and flick into an empty net. The goal put Folkestone into the lead. Two well taken chances by Mead being the substantive difference.

Some huff and puff from Maidstone was not enough to break down the visitors' defence in the last ten minutes. The oppo defended well and simply for their last ten minute defensive shift, came out of the occasion deserved winners.

Maidstone sit seventh in the table following the result - with no win in three. This said, there is a clear top half and bottom half developing in the table, and Maidstone will look to climb within the top half pack as they approach the Christmas break.

Next week, Gore Court are to host MHC. They sit on thirteen points, just like Maidstone - a true mid-table classic is in the works.