Maidstone United 0 Staines Town 1

MAIDSTONE United were forced to pay a harsh price for a moment of madness on Friday night, when they gifted Staines a 1-0 win at Bourne Park.

The Ryman League Division 1 South champions were given another lesson in the unforgiving nature of life in the Premier Division, when Staines' striker Mark Nwokeji scored after half an hour of a game the Stones had until then dominated.

The London side's preparations were hampered by traffic problems on the M25 and when the game eventually began 15 minutes after the scheduled 7.45pm kick off time they were forced onto the back foot by a lively Maidstone performance.

Nick Hegley went closest to opening the scoring when he drilled a shot just wide in the 16th minute.

However, Staines began to find their passes and after a shot from Howard Newton missed by inches, Nwokeji put the visitors in front when a communication breakdown at the back saw keeper Pat Mullin fail to gather the ball, allowing Nwokeji to almost walk it into an empty net.

United fought back and Hegley was denied an equaliser when his shot was blocked on the line by keeper James Courtnage's foot, after a superb pass from skipper Ben Lewis.

In the second half Maidstone created enough chances to have won the game, but Alex Tiesse scuffed a shot eight yards from the line, Errison Ahwan's drive went a yard over and Mo Takaloo and Craig Wilkins both saw goalbound efforts blocked.

As time ran out, Stones keeper Pat Mullin twice kept his side in the game with desperate saves, but when a hopeful penalty appeal was turned down in injury time it condemned them to a fourth defeat in five games.

* Keep up to date with all the Stones news every week in the Kent Messenger.