Aveley 2 Maidstone United 0 match report: Stones old boy Razzaq Coleman De-Graft scores brilliant opener while Paul Appiah sees red for the visitors
Published: 21:46, 19 February 2024
Updated: 21:47, 19 February 2024
Razzaq Coleman De-Graft scored a brilliant goal against his old club as Maidstone lost to Aveley.
The winger, whose contract at the Gallagher Stadium was terminated last month, put the Millers in front with a goal-of-the-season contender at Parkside.
He also had a hand in the second, by which time Maidstone were down to 10 men after Paul Appiah picked up a second yellow card, ruling him out of the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Coventry next week.
There were good chances at either end in a goalless first half that saw Aveley make most of the running while United were a threat on the break.
Aveley got the ball forward quickly, put crosses and long throws into the box and were quick to put pressure on the Stones defence.
Stones old boy Coleman De-Graft blazed over when through on goal after Reiss Greenidge misjudged the bounce of the ball as the Millers wasted a big early opening.
The miss of the season followed as Ryan Carr got down the left and squared to Manny Ogunrinde, who somehow cleared the bar from virtually on the goalline.
At the other end, Lamar Reynolds fired well over when picked out by Stones skipper Gavin Hoyte as the visitors missed a big chance.
Keeper Jon North twice came to Aveley’s rescue at the end of the first half.
First, he denied Manny Duku after a mistake in the home defence presented the Stones striker with the ball.
Then, in added time, he got down well after a rapid counter saw ex-Aveley striker Matt Rush pick out the run of Corne, whose strike was bound for the bottom corner.
Coleman De-Graft saw another decent chance go begging early in the second half, taking too long over his strike and allowing Greenidge to make the block.
But he showed his old club exactly what he was capable of with a stunning opening strike in the 55th minute.
Some brilliant footwork took him past a couple of Maidstone defenders before hammering the ball past Lucas Covolan.
It was everything Maidstone hoped they were getting - the pace, trickery and skill - when they signed him from Lewes last summer and you could see how much the goal meant in his celebrations.
United then found themselves down to 10 men three minutes later when on-loan Leicester defender Appiah picked up a second yellow card for pulling back his man.
Already booked for a first-half challenge on Ogunrinde, the dismissal rules him out of next Monday’s FA Cup tie against the Foxes’ big M69 rivals Coventry.
Aveley were well on top after the dismissal, moving the ball well against the 10 men and pushing for a killer second goal.
Coleman De-Graft was involved as the Millers clinched the points - and a league double over Maidstone – in the 86th minute.
Covolan could only parry after he got away down the right and Hughes pounced on the loose ball.
Aveley: North, Jambang (Ring 18mins), Vaz, Odelusi, Terry, Gibbs, Krasniqi (Eze 84mins), Carr, Coleman De-Graft, Ogrunrinde (Aileru 89mins), Hughes. Subs not used: Kyei, Jones.
Maidstone: Covolan, Appiah, Fowler, Greenidge, Hoyte, Corne, Bone (Tanga 71mins), Berkeley-Agyepong. Reynolds (Sole 82mins), Rush, Duku (Faal 59mins). Subs not used: Brown, Earle.
Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis.
Attendance: 709.
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Craig Tucker