United 1
(Morgan 29′)
Maidstone 1
(Court 22′)
A fiery encounter ended all-square at Plainmoor, in a game that saw three players sent off.
After Riley Court opened the scoring for the visitors, Dylan Morgan swiftly restored parity, before the sending off of David Sesay saw Torquay gain a man advantage. There were no more goals but plenty of incident, as Jordan Young and Louis Dennis both received their marching orders in the dying stages.
Gulls boss Paul Wotton made one enforced change to the starting line-up that beat Hampton & Richmond so convincingly with the injured Callum Dolan replaced by fellow goalscorer last weekend, Morgan.
Torquay started the game well and went close on a number of occasions, however, it was The Stones who broke the deadlock on 22 minutes.
Having won a free-kick 30 yards out, Court’s aim was to precise for James Hamon, who could only watch as the ball sailed past him, and into the top corner of the net.
United were level just seven minutes later.
Foulston’s raid into the box saw the ball played into the path of Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, and although a challenge on the midfielder saw the chance taken away, the ball rebounded straight to Morgan, and although he still had plenty to do, United’s No.11 confidently placed a low drive into the far corner to make it 1-1.
There was more drama just before the break.
Despite a Maidstone attack petering out, suddenly temperatures began to rise inside the penalty area, with the end result seeing the referee taking a moment to discuss evidence with his assistant, before ordering Sesay to leave the field.
Half Time followed soon after, giving those in attendance time to catch their breath.
With the personnel count favouring Torquay for so long, it was little surprise that it was United who looked the likelier to force a winner, but although Young and Dennis both forces visiting glovesman Nathan Harness into saves, neither side was able to break through.
Maidstone did create a handful of openings themselves, but the real talking points came in injury time.
With Dennis fighting for possession down by the corner flag, the referee’s view was that the United striker had imposed his prescience too forcefully, as he was issued with a straight red card.
Moments later, things got even worse, as Young’s protestations over a non-awarded corner saw him pick up a second yellow card, and leave The Gulls to finish the game with nine men.
A point apiece barely sums this one up.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer (c), 7. Louis Dennis, 8. Jordan Young, 11. Dylan Morgan (23. Kieran Wilson, 71′), 18. Matt Worthington (27. Matt Jay, 76′), 20. Dan Hayfield, 24. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 26. Jordan Thomas (9. Cody Cooke, 56′).
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Danzel Akyeampong, 6. Munashe Sundire, 16. Ed Palmer, 21. Adam Seedhouse-Evans (GK).
Yellow Card: Dyer 21′, Young 31′, Dreyer 43′
Yellow Card / Red Card: Young 90+2′
Red Card: Dennis 90+1′
MAIDSTONE: 1. Nathan Harness, 2. David Sesay, 3. Leo Hamblin, 5. George Fowler, 6. TJ Bramble, 7. Jephte Tange, 8. Sam Corne (c), 17. Riley Court (10. John Gilbert, 64′), 20. Antony Papadopoulos (23. Hamzad Kargbo, 77′), 22. Muhammadu Faal (12. Dajon Golding, 64′), 24. Taylor Foran.
SUBS NOT USED: 9. Deon Moore, 13. Lenny Holden (GK), 15. David Agbontohoma.
Red Card: Sesay 42′, Fowler 81′
Attendance: 3,262 (114 away)
