Following on from a victory the previous week, Maidstone Ladies 3s went into the match looking to build momentum and secure another win. From the opening whistle, Maidstone started strongly, with the attacking quartet of Sarah, Julie, Ellie and Liv dominating play and putting Sittingbourne under early pressure.
Despite spending the majority of the first half camped in the attacking half, Maidstone were repeatedly denied by an outstanding performance from Sittingbourne’s young goalkeeper, who showed remarkable composure and resilience. Excellent midfield work from Katie, Jaime, Ava and Nikki ensured a steady supply of quality balls into the forwards, keeping the pressure relentless. At the back, Maidstone’s defence of Smithy, Lu and with an impressive debut for the 3s, Sasha, saw little action but dealt comfortably with anything that came their way.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Maidstone continuing to bombard the Sittingbourne goal. A series of well-worked short corners and shots from across the D again tested the goalkeeper, who refused to be beaten with a string of impressive saves.
The breakthrough finally came after an impressive driving run from Bella, a strong contender for player of the match. The move was finished clinically and deservedly by Katie, who worked relentlessly all game to find the back of the net to give Maidstone a deserved lead.

However, a brief lapse in concentration allowed Sittingbourne an opportunity from seemingly nowhere, and they capitalised to level the score. The match ended 1–1, a frustrating result for Maidstone given their dominance, but one that could not take away from an exceptional performance by Sittingbourne’s 14-year-old goalkeeper.
A disappointing draw for Maidstone, but plenty of positives to take forward into the next fixture. ?