Maidstone’s dreams of Wembley this year came to a halt against big spending Eastleigh although they gave a good account of themselves & could have got a draw but for a very contentious decision by the referee.
Eastleigh came out of the blocks the quickest & in the 7th minute Yemi Odubade found himself in the area & his shot went just wide of the post.
Maidstone’s first real chance came in the 12th minute when a quick free kick by Steve Watt released Rory Hill who chested it down & his shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner.
Four minutes later Michael Green 5 yards out on the angle saw his flicked shot punched away by Lee Worgan & in the 22nd minute Odubade on the rights low cross found Ben Strevens who released Jai Reason & his shot from 10 yards beat Worgan but came back of the post.
Two minutes later a free kick into the area was headed out by Tom Mills but only to Strevans & his shot was superbly blocked by Watt.
Maidstone suddenly had a few chances as in the 29th minute Mills saw his shot from 30 yards tipped over the bar by Ross Flitney & from Hill’s corner Watt’s downward header forced a great reaction save by Flitney for a corner & from the corner Tom Phipp’s header went to Watt whose header was cleared off the line.
In the 41st minute Eastleigh took the lead when Odubade on the left wing crossed into the area & it was flicked on by Reason for McAllister who controlled it & shot home from 8 yards.
The second half started with Maidstone coming out strongly & in the 50th minute Hill on the right crossed to Frannie Collin whose shot from 15 yards beat Flitney for the equaliser.
The golden rule in Football is when you score keep it tight for ten minutes but Maidstone did not do this & in the 56th minute a long ball into the area saw Odubade chase it into the area & Worgan came out but according to the Assistant Referee he pushed him & a penalty was given, up stepped Reason who smashed it straight down the middle.
Maidstone did not throw in the towel & continued to give Eastleigh problems as in the 64th minute Mills passed inside to Michael Phillips whose shot from 30 yards beat Flitney but not the bar.
Another chance came in the 71st minute when Hill saw his shot from 20 yards whistle past the post.
Eastleigh should have wrapped the game up in the 85th minute when Stuart Fleetwood on as a substitute went down the left & crossed to the backpost for McAllister whose goalbound header was superbly pushed away by Worgan.
In the last eight minutes including added on time Maidstone peppered the Eastleigh goal. In the 87th minute a Hill corner found Watt & his header goalwards caused a scramble in the area before being cleared, a minute later Charley Robertson put Alex Flisher & his shot from 15 yards was superbly blocked by Chris Dillon for a corner.
In the 92nd minute Hill again let fly from 25 yards but it went just over the bar & then in the last minute came the contentious decision when the ball knocked into the area found Collin who controlled it & shot but it was blocked by a defender who was on the ground but it looked if he used his hands to block it but the Referee gave nothing & the final whistle went with the Referee surrounded by Maidstone players complaining & as he walked off the crowd showed their displeasure.
Maidstone:
1. L.WORGAN 2. R.ROSE (84) 3. T.MILLS 4. S.WATT 5. J.SOBERS
6. M.PHILLIPS (79) 7. R.HILL 8. A.BROWN 9. Z.ATTWOOD 10. F.COLLIN 11. T.PHIPP
SUBS USED: 12. C.ROBERTSON (84) 16. A.FLISHER (79)
SUBS NOT USED: 14. G.ANDREWS 15. F.SARAIVA 21. C.MITTEN
BOOKED: 11.T.PHIPP (55) 8. A.BROWN (83)
EASTLEIGH:
- R.FLITNEY 2. D.SPENCE 3. M.GREEN 4. J.COLLINS 5. D.BECKWITH 6. C.DILLON
7. Y.ODUBADE (64) 8. G.SOUTHAM 9.C.McALLISTER 10. J.REASON (76) 11. B.STREVENS
SUBS USED: 14.D.BATT 16. S.FLEETWOOD
SUBS NOT USED: 12.W.EVANS 13. J.DOVEY 15. R.ROSE
BOOKED: 11.B.STREVENS
REFEREE: Mr L.BETTS
ASSISTANTS: Mr A.AJIBOLA Mr S.PARMENTER
ATTENDANCE: 1,397