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Woking 1 Maidstone United 1 match report

Maidstone and Woking will meet again on Tuesday night after their FA Trophy first-round tie ended in a draw.

United had Ollie Muldoon sent off before half-time but took the lead through on-loan Ebbsfleet winger Sean Shields.

It proved short-lived, though, with Toby Edser’s equaliser earning the National South club a replay at the Gallagher.

Maidstone manager Harry Wheeler Picture: Andy Jones
Maidstone manager Harry Wheeler Picture: Andy Jones

The Stones employed a back three with George McLennan and Michael Phillips either side of Simon Walton.

It wasn’t the obvious selection with recognised centre-halves Will De Havilland and Alex Finney on the bench but they worked well, staying tight and keeping Woking in front of them in the first half.

Both sides tried to play football in the driving rain and it wasn’t a bad game despite limited chances.

For the Stones, Jake Cassidy flashed an effort past the far post from 20 yards and Ben Gerring - one of Harry Wheeler’s old players - was alert to deal with Muldoon’s cross with Elliott Romain ready to pounce.

At the other end, Ross Worner dealt well with Toby Edser’s half-volley while Noel Leighton might have done more with a free header.

Maidstone were down to 10 men in the 40th minute with Muldoon’s second yellow card.

Booked after five minutes, he mistimed a tackle on Paul Hodges and saw red.

It was similar to the challenge that got him booked although maybe a talking-to would have sufficed.

Woking looked to turn the screw at the start of the second half, getting the ball wide and putting a few crosses in as the rain got harder.

It didn’t translate into chances and they failed to test Worner until midway through the half from Max Kretzschmar’s free-kick.

Soon after, in the 70th minute, the 10 men took the lead with Shields pouncing on a mistake in the defence and beating Craig Ross in a one-on-one.

The lead lasted three minutes.

Worner saved another Kretzschmar free-kick and when the ball was fed back into the box, it was cleared only as far as Edser, whose low finish brought the Cards level.

Former Maidstone striker Greg Luer came on for Woking and the hosts pushed hard to get the job done with Nicky Wheeler a tricky customer out wide.

They went close when Edser hit the side-netting in added time.

Maidstone: Worner, Phillips, Walton, McLennan, Shields, Paxman, Powell, Muldoon, Wishart (De Havilland 68mins) Cassidy, Romain (Tajbakhsh 60mins). Subs not used: Finney, Strizovic, Richards. Attendance: 1,245 (95 away).

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