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Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin talks missed chances and George Elokobi's red card in 2-0 defeat by Dorking Wanderers

Hakan Hayrettin said his beaten Maidstone side had enough chances against Dorking to win three matches.

But they all went begging and United’s dip continued with a 2-0 home defeat which left Hayrettin pointing to a lack of ruthlessness in both boxes.

Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin Picture: Steve Terrell
Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin Picture: Steve Terrell

They’ve dropped a place to third in National South, overtaken by Oxford City.

The game followed a similar pattern to the Eastbourne loss as Maidstone failed to turn dominance into goals but boss Hayrettin said: “This was worse. I don’t think we’ve missed so many chances in one game and we were dominant. It was there for everyone to see.

“We started off in the first five minutes, I think we had about three shots, but we just didn’t do enough to win the game and a lack of concentration cost us.

“I think we had so many chances to win three games, not just this one, but we’re in a situation at the moment where we’ve got to stick together and grind these results out.

"We haven’t become a bad team overnight, we’re just not taking these chances, are we? How many times did we get the ball in the six-yard box and not finish it?

“There’s no area of discontent from me apart from the fact that both boxes we’ve got to be a bit more ruthless.

“Did they deserve to win? Maybe, because they scored two goals, but not in general play.

"I think we’ve opened them up, we had great chances, especially in the second half, we didn’t take them. It’s as simple as that.”

Christie Pattisson’s open-goal miss, with Maidstone trailing early in the second half, really irked the manager as the hosts slipped to a third straight defeat in league and FA Cup - all without scoring a goal.

“Christie, he shouldn’t be powering that ball there, he should let the ball hit his instep and it’s in,” said Hayrettin.

“How has he hit it over from there? It’s unbelievable. It’s ridiculous. Just cushion it in.

“Nothing’s gone right the last three games in terms of both boxes, that’s the problem.

Maidstone United captain George Elokobi was sent off in the defeat by Dorking Picture: Steve Terrell
Maidstone United captain George Elokobi was sent off in the defeat by Dorking Picture: Steve Terrell

“Listen, the support’s been fantastic, I made a point of walking round, making sure everything was good.

“But if we don’t take those chances, if we’re not clinical in both boxes, if we don’t make sure we’re ruthless enough to finish these games off, this is what happens.

“Christie’s got to do better there, Hady Ghandour has got to do better when he’s gone for the near post instead of sliding it across for a tap-in although he’s come in on loan and I thought he did fantastically well for us.”

“How many chances did we have in the first half? It’s bad decision-making. That’s what it is.

“If you saw them training on Thursday and Friday, you’d have thought, ‘Blimey, we’re going to win 6-0 here.’ Everything we touched went into the back of the net.”

Hayrettin defended captain George Elokobi, who was shown a second yellow card for squaring up to referee Wayne Cartmel with the Stones 2-0 down.

Elokobi, frustrated after a challenge went unpunished, confronted Cartmel and was sent packing.

He’ll miss Tuesday night’s match at Dulwich.

Hayrettin said: “I don’t think that’s a red card. He hasn’t said a word to him. That’s what my captain said to me. I’m not going to go against him.

“If he said to me he said something, yeah, but he hasn’t said a word to him and he’s sent him off.

“He (Cartmel) said he ran over to him aggressively. Well, he hasn’t touched him. He’s put his hands behind his back, he’s questioned the challenge and he’s sent him off.”

Read more: The latest sports news in Kent

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