Dover Athletic 2 Maidstone United 4

MAIDSTONE UNITED struck a potentially decisive blow in the Ryman League Division 1 South title race when they beat Dover Athletic 4-2 at Crabble on Saturday.

The Stones twice took the lead in the first half: first on 11 minutes when Aaron Lacy's quickly taken free-kick was fired past Whites keeper Glen Knight from an acute angle by Nick Hegley and then, after Jimmy Dryden had equalised, when Alex Tiesse was the first to react to a rebound after an initial shot by Mo Takaloo.

Dover equalised 10 minutes before half-time when Lee Shearer brought down Dryden on the corner of the penalty area and Tommy Tyne sent Pat Mullin the wrong way from the spot.

At half-time the sides looked evenly matched but the game turned in the 67th minute when Dover's Matt Bourne fouled Tiesse from behind in the area. Bourne was sent off and Takaloo converted the resulting penalty.

Whites' self-belief seemed to vanish and in the 83rd minute Nick Humphrey clipped Simon Austin's heels in the box giving Maidstone a second penalty.

This time Austin converted to send hundreds of Dover supporters headed for the exits and Stones comfortably held out for the final seven minutes.

The game was played in front of 1,527 fans, Dover's biggest home gate of the season.

* Keep up to date with all the Stones and Whites news every week in the Kent Messenger and Dover Mercury respectivey.