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Maidstone United 1 Bath City 0 match report

Jay May finished another brilliant team move - just as he did at Maidenhead - as Maidstone beat Bath on Saturday.

They survived a strong second-half performance from Bath to claim their third National League South win in a row, moving them up to sixth place.

A fourth clean sheet in a row means Stones haven’t conceded in 412 minutes, since Chelmsford’s penalty at the end of August.

Jay May's memorable winner for Maidstone Picture: Matt Walker
Jay May's memorable winner for Maidstone Picture: Matt Walker

It was no surprise to see Jay Saunders name the same side for the third game running, given the performances in victories against Havant and Maidenhead.

United took the lead after only six minutes with a goal even better than the team effort that put them in front on Tuesday night.

This move lasted 14 passes, went from attack to defence and back again, and finished with May taking Matt Bodkin’s cross on the chest and volleying home.

May, Adam Birchall, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Manny Parry, Tom Mills, Jamie Coyle, Lee Worgan, Joe Healy, Callum Driver and Bodkin all featured in the build-up, with Jack Paxman the only player not to touch the ball.

Maidstone celebrate Jay May's opener Picture: Matt Walker
Maidstone celebrate Jay May's opener Picture: Matt Walker

Birchall had a 20-yard strike touched wide by Steve Phillips, Healy saw a thumping header from Bodkin’s corner parried from six yards and Taylor lifted an effort over after making room for a strike as Maidstone enjoyed the best of the chances.

Bath, starting the day second in the league, looked dangerous at times and were only denied an equaliser when Worgan, at full stretch, touched Andy Watkins’ 30-drive on to the bar.

Frankie Artus might have done better when the ball broke from a free-kick at the end of the half but fired wide, while Ben Adelsbury headed over.

Maidstone players celebrate Jay May's brilliant goal Picture: Matt Walker
Maidstone players celebrate Jay May's brilliant goal Picture: Matt Walker

Parry made a key block from Dave Pratt’s strike after Ashley Kingston got the better of Healy and fed Watkins for a cross early in the second half.

It was a reminder of the threat the visitors posed and not long after they were in again, Worgan doing well to put off Watkins when Pratt hooked the ball to the far post.

Watkins’ header from a corner hit the bar just past the hour as Bath continued to enjoy the best of the half.

He then hit the side-netting after an attempted clearance spun off Parry’s toe and sent him through.

May headed over from Taylor’s corner as Maidstone enjoyed a rare attack midway through the second half.

Stones substitute Alex Akrofi tested Phillips at his near post moving into the final 15 minutes and with Alex Brown on in midfield it started to look as though Maidstone had weathered the storm.

There was more room to play with as Bath threw men forward, with Akrofi’s diving header from a Bodkin cross going wide, then Bodkin’s stinging half-volley from 16 yards was parried.

Substitute Brown injured his knee in a challenge in the last few minutes and was replaced by Simon Johnson.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Parry, Paxman (Brown 71mins, Johnson 88), Bodkin, Healy, May, Birchall (Akrofi 68mins), Taylor. Subs not used: Watt, Pinnock.

Attendance: 2,098.

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