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Bromley 3 Maidstone United 0 match report

Maidstone were well-beaten by a Bromley side who finished the game with a defender in goal.

Adam Marriott scored twice, to add to Omar Sowunmi's opener, and the Ravens could have had several more.

Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin Picture: Steve Terrell
Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin Picture: Steve Terrell

Defender Chris Bush played the final 16 minutes of normal time, plus 10 minutes of added time, in goal after Reice Charles-Cook was stretchered off.

But the Stones didn't test the former Ebbsfleet centre-half between the sticks and left empty-handed.

Maidstone were unchanged from Tuesday night’s draw with Wealdstone and made a promising start at Hayes Lane.

They made some decent progress in the Bromley half in the opening exchanges but their good work was undone when they conceded from a 15th-minute corner.

That will have driven Hakan Hayrettin mad - he prides himself on his team’s organisation from restarts - but it was lacking here as Reece Hannam’s ball to the back post was met by giant defender Sowunmi for the opener.

Bromley went on to win four successive corners midway through the half.

Michael Cheek nearly scored from the third, his shot blocked in the six-yard box and, from the fourth, Yusuf Mersin got down well to keep out Byron Webster’s fierce free shot.

George Fowler cleared off the line from Corey Whitely and Harry Forster’s half-volley went just wide as Bromley looked for a second.

Maidstone had just as many opportunities to put balls in the box as Bromley, winning plenty of corners and free-kicks.

But they couldn’t make any of them pay and conceded again two minutes before half-time.

A nice switch of play from left to right saw Forster feed Whitely and his cross was converted at the near post by Marriott.

Maidstone went close in the opening minute of the second half, with Roarie Deacon’s 25-yard drive brilliantly tipped over by Charles-Cook.

That was his first save of the game and he was soon making another from Deacon as United started with purpose, followed by a third, this time from Jack Barham.

Bromley, though, extended their lead with their first attack of the half, going three up in the 48th minute.

Whitely got away from Gavin Hoyte and while Mersin kept out his shot across goal, Marriott gobbled up the rebound.

Bromley continued to look dangerous, Mersin getting down to keep out Cheek’s free header from a Forster cross.

But Sam Corne was inches away from pulling one back when he tried to pick out the bottom corner with his left foot.

Bromley keeper Charles-Cook, having gone down for the second time, was stretchered off with just over 15 minutes of normal time remaining after lengthy treatment.

The Ravens didn’t have a substitute keeper on the bench, so Bush took the gloves.

Maidstone had time to test the makeshift stopper but should have gone four down when Marriott’s cross evaded Fowler and fell to Whitely in space but he fired over.

Another chance fell Bromley’s way when Forster squared to Marriott, whose shot on the turn hit Kodi Lyons-Foster.

And the hosts were in once more when Cheek eased his way through the defence and teed up Forster in a good position but Mersin made the block.

The Stones finally worked Bush at the start of 10 minutes’ added time but it was a straightforward save from substitute James Alabi’s strike.

Stones skipper Gavin Hoyte went close to a spectacular own goal when chasing Forster from a Bromley counter-attack.

Booting the ball off Forster's toe some 50 yards from goal, it flew over Mersin's head but dropped just wide.

Bromley: Charles-Cook (Bush 74mins), Reynolds, Hannam (Dennis 66mins), Bingham, Sowunmi, Cheek, Marriott, Webster, Whitely, Forster, Vennings (Arthurs 86mins). Subs not used: Coleman, Alexander.

Maidstone: Mersin, Hoyte, Fowler, Lyons-Foster, Galvin (Cawley 64mins), Booty, Gurung, Corne, Pattisson, Barham (Alabi 54mins), Deacon (Fawole 84mins). Subs not used: Hadler, Odusanya.

Referee: Paul Johnson.

Attendance: 3,386 (521 away).

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