Dorking Wanderers 2 Maidstone United 2 match report: Joan Luque scores last-minute equaliser
21:43, 01 December 2020
updated: 21:46, 01 December 2020
Substitute Joan Luque scored a last-minute equaliser as Maidstone fought back from two goals down at Dorking.
He’d only been on the pitch five minutes when he rescued a point for the visitors.
George Elokobi’s own goal - a year to the day since his last one in the FA Cup at Blackpool - gave Dorking a half-time lead.
The Stones skipper was also caught out for the second, scored by Jason Prior.
But Kreshnic Krasniqi launched the fightback and Luque made it 2-2 as Maidstone rescued a draw from 2-0 down for the second time this season.
Chris Lewington returned in goal in place of Ravan Constable - the major decision facing Hakan Hayrettin before kick-off.
He was one of three changes, with Scott Rendell and George Porter returning from injury.
The hosts included former Gills crowd favourite Barry Fuller, with the veteran right-back wearing the captain’s armband.
Both sides looked dangerous on the counter, Justin Amaluzor having the beating of Isaac Philpot down the right for United.
The visitors had the best of the first half, spending a decent amount of time in Dorking territory.
Amaluzor cut inside and brought a decent low save from Slavomir Huk inside three minutes, saw another effort creep past the far post after a lightning turn of pace and also sent a cracking ball across the face of goal that crying out for a finish.
Charlie Seaman stung Huk’s fingertips with a fine strike from 20 yards that dipped and swerved, while Porter sent a decent hit past the post and also headed wide.
Luke Moore looked good in possession for Dorking but their one big chance of the first half saw Philpot flash a near-post header wide from James McShane’s cross.
Maidstone knew all about prolific Wanderers striker Prior but they had him where they wanted him for most of the first half.
He saw little of the ball in areas to hurt the Stones - defending out wide in his own half a few times - but that changed when Dorking opened the scoring in the 41st minute.
Even then there looked to be little danger when he volleyed a ball across the six-yard box but the unfortunate Elokobi could only turn it into his own net.
Maidstone got at Dorking at the start of the second half, running at the home defence and looking to get balls in the box.
It didn’t translate into chances, though, and bar Huk spilling Seaman’s cross under pressure, the hosts weren’t looking overly troubled as the hour mark approached.
Dorking doubled their lead in the 72nd minute and it was another moment to forget for Elokobi, losing out to Wes Fogden before Moore fed Kane Wills, whose cross was finished by Prior.
Maidstone hit back in the 76th minute, Krasniqi the scorer with a low header from Seaman’s free-kick.
Seaman slalomed his way into the Dorking box in the last 10 minutes but the finish didn’t match his run.
There was still time for an equaliser and substitute Luque delivered in the last minute, cutting inside and bending the ball into the bottom corner.
Maidstone: Lewington, Hoyte, Ellul, Elokobi, Chesmain, Corne (Temelci 60mins), Krasniqi, Amaluzor (Luque 85mins), Porter, Seaman, Rendell. Subs not use: Brown, Olutade, Constable.
Referee: Jason Richardson.
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