Maidstone United 1-2 Hampton & Richmond Borough match report
16:50, 22 February 2020
updated: 16:59, 22 February 2020
Maidstone conceded an injury-time winner against Hampton & Richmond - their third defeat in a row.
Justin Amaluzor’s third goal in five games gave the Stones an early lead at the Gallagher but Jake Grey levelled and Danilo Orsi-Dadomo struck at the death as John Still's side lost to their National South play-off rivals.
Maidstone handed a debut to former Ashford striker Max Watters following his loan move from Doncaster.
He was one of three changes from the midweek defeat by Bath with Chris Lewington back in goal after injury and Dan Wishart returning from suspension.
Gavin Hoyte took the armband in the absence of the suspended George Elokobi and it was his cross inside four minutes that almost led to a dream start for Watters, ex-Stones loanee Dion-Curtis Henry denying him from no more than a couple of yards out.
Maidstone started like a train and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the seventh minute.
Ross Marshall was the provider, playing the ball into Amaluzor who turned and fired into the bottom corner.
From looking in control, the Stones were pegged back from Hampton’s first real attack.
It came down the right with a lively run and cross from Ryan Hill into Danilo Orsi-Dadamo and while Lewington made a good save with legs, Grey was all on his own to slot home the rebound.
Hill went on a couple more bright runs in the minutes after the equaliser while Maidstone struggled to recapture their early dominance in testing conditions.
They mixed it up with some long stuff from the back and possession football in midfield but didn’t test Henry again before the break, whose only action was to deal with a tricky cross from Ryan Johnson.
The Beavers didn’t threaten, either, with Niko Muir’s shot across goal their only other genuine opening.
Maidstone made a decent start to the second half and had the ball in the net with a neat Watters finish from Akanbi’s flick but the linesman’s flag went up for offside.
A double block thwarted Hampton at the other end with Johnson and Marshall denying Muir and Hill respectively.
A big chance followed at the other end with Sam Corne hanging up a lovely cross from Amaluzor who just couldn’t get his head to it, thumping the ground in frustration as he landed.
It was soon Hampton’s turn to threaten again as Lewington pushed away Hill 25-yard free-kick and Dean Inman looped a header just over.
Poor defending - Maidstone missing chances to clear - then gave Ruaridh Donaldson the chance to shoot but Wishart blocked on the line.
Maidstone were screaming for a penalty when Khan’s cross appeared to be handled by Inman, before Akanbi got underneath Iffy Allen’s cross and put his header over.
Wishart made his second goalline clearance in added time but Hampton grabbed the winner when Orsi-Dadomo rolled home moments later.
Maidstone: Lewington, Hoyte, Johnson, Marshall, Wishart, Boucaud (Corne 29mins), Temelci (Allen 70mins), Khan, Amaluzor, Akanbi, Watters. Subs not used: Cole, Felix, Knight.
Attendance: 1,769 (36 away).
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