Slough Town 2 Maidstone United 1 match report: Mo Faal scores from the spot on debut but Raphe Brown sent off in Stones defeat
17:07, 20 January 2024
updated: 17:08, 20 January 2024
Mo Faal scored on his debut but 10-man Maidstone were beaten at Slough and have lost Raphe Brown for the Ipswich game.
Faal, the Stones’ new loan signing from Havant, scored a second-half penalty to cancel out Josh Jackman’s opener.
But substitute Brown was sent off for two bookings, ruling him out of next week’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Portman Road, and Johnny Goddard slotted a late winner for the Rebels.
Brown was able to face Stevenage in the last round after his red card at Tonbridge was overturned on grounds of mistaken identity.
Unfortunately there will be no way out of this one.
As well as including Faal, teenager Riley Court made his first league start in midfield with Sam Corne starting a two-game ban.
The visitors couldn’t get going at Arbour Park and whether it was just one of those days or minds being on the FA Cup, Slough were determined to take advantage.
The Rebels weren’t great themselves but they didn’t have to be to punish a slow start from the visitors.
It took only seven minutes to go in front, with Jackman wrapping his foot around a cross from the left to bury the past low past Lucas Covolan into the far corner
Matt Rush was a willing worker up top, almost like he was determined to drag his team into the game, but with Faal playing from the flank, Maidstone weren’t able to use the new man’s height.
The Stones’ best move of the half saw Sam Bone play a ball down the inside left for Jephte Tanga to run on to.
Tanga got his cross in but it was cleared before Rush could pounce.
Leyton Orient loanee Tanga showed some nice feet in the box soon after but was off balance by the time he got his shot off.
A double change at the break saw Brown and Timmy Abraham replace Chi Ezennolim and Rush.
That meant Faal, who’s similar in size and stature to Levi Amantchi, playing down the middle with Abraham in a change of shape.
It was Faal who pulled Maidstone level in the 63rd minute after being brought down by Matt Lench.
With no Corne, Faal took the penalty and while keeper Dan Lincoln got a touch, he couldn’t keep it out.
The urgency increased after the equaliser with Tanga stinging Lincoln’s fingertips at the near post and Bone thumping a free-kick over after another foul on Faal.
But the Stones found themselves a man down 11 minutes from time when Brown picked up a second booking for a challenge on Slavi Spasov, who’d only been on the pitch a matter of seconds.
Spasov was involved again as Slough regained the lead in the 83rd minute, getting away down the right and setting up Goddard.
Slough: Lincoln, Jackman, Bayliss, Lench, Minhas, Goddard, Davies, Eweka, Dyce, Sundire (Prosper 90mins), Ogbonna (Spasov 79mins). Subs not used: Dandy, Hamiga, Ebuzoee.
Maidstone: Covolan, Fowler, Appiah, Kyprianou, Ezennolim (Brown 46mins), Gurung, Court (Sole 61mins), Bone, Tanga, Rush (Abraham 46mins), Faal. Subs not used; Hoyte, Earle.
Referee: Lewis Sandoe.
Attendance: 1,054.
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