Maidstone 2 Herne Bay 0

Herne Bay were very unlucky to leave Maidstone's Gallagher Stadium pointless, matching the Stones in all departments except for clinical finishing.
Playing on the superb 3G pitch and in front of 1751, Bay matched their hosts for the first 60 minutes but a goal on the hour mark by Alex Flisher and another deep into added time by Tom Mills sealed Herne Bay's fate.

Bay settled quickly but it was the Stones who applied the early pressure through Shaun Welford and former Bay player, Stuart king.

In the 9th minute Welford had the ball in the net after a good run and cross from Warren Whitley but this was ruled offside.

Two minutes later Byron Walker fed Dean Grant, who crossed for James Turner but the ball was just out of reach.

Welford and King both squandering good chances but on 16 minutes Flisher fired in a rasping shot that Dan Eason saved superbly. Bay struck back with Josh Sergeant winning the ball in mid-field, took on two defenders before unleashing a great shot that grazed the bar.

Back came the Stones with Flisher bursting down the left before crossing to Welford but he failed to trouble Eason. Walker and Turner constantly nibbled away at the Stones back four and on 35 minutes Walker was unlucky not to get a touch on a ball played cross the face of the goal by Turner.

Further chances fell to Welford and King but Bay's back four held firm.
As the half drew to a close Bay were applying real pressure on the Stones defence, forcing a couple of corners but keeper Charlie Mittenn dealt with these unchallenged. Bay's best chance of the half came in the 44th minute. Rhys Lawson sped down the left, cut inside past Tom Osborne and fired in a rising shot that flew off Humphrey's leg and hit against the underside of the bar before rebounding back towards Mitten who produced a reflex save to push the ball wide of the upright.

The first chance of the second half fell to the Bay in the 50th minute when Grant lost his marker and crossed for Tom Bryant to fire just wide of the target.
Back came Maidstone when Welford fizzed in a snap shot that Eason saved superbly.
That proved to be Welford's final act of the game as he was sent off for violent conduct in a clash with Bryant. From the free kick Callum McGeehan fired past the Stones wall but straight at Mitten.

Maidstone despite playing with 10 men started to raise their game and on 60 minutes Flisher crashed in an unstopable shot past Eason after being played in by King.
From the restart Bay had a good chance to equalise but Mitten saved at the feet of Turner.

On 66th minute Tunji Agbajae replaced Turner. Minutes later, from a cross from Sergeant, his header crashed against bar with Mitten beaten. Maidstone increased the pressure and only a great save by Eason prevented King from doubling the score.
With only two minutes of added time remaining James Campbell thought he had equalised but his effort was some how kept out by Gavin Greenfield's acrobatic hook away from under the bar. This was not going to be Bay's day and this proved to be the case when in the 96th minute, after Bay were piling forward looking for the equalizer, Stones broke away with King drawing the defender to him before laying off to the impressive Tom Mills who smashed the ball past Eason to secure the win.

Att: 1731
Team: Eason, Nelder, Bryant, McGeehan, Campbell, Sergeant, Grant, Bennett, Walker, Turner(J), Lawson.
Subs Used: Agbajae
Not used: Eastwood, Turner(M), Sayer, Parker.

Man of the match: Billy Bennett