Maplesden Oaks 8 Hugh Christie 3

Match 62/18/1655 - Wednesday, 21st November 2018 - Academies League – Kent Schools FA

Maplesden Oaks School (2) 8
Hugh Christie (0) 3 Lewis 54 Taylor 62 Musengy 77
Headcount: 6

Admission: Free
Programme: None
Mileage: 20/3,438

The latest stop on the minibus tour of Kent Schools is Maplesden Oaks, Maidstone, home to Soccer Elite, probably the most prestigious Academy in the south-east. When you’ve parked the bus and jumped out and the first face you see is the instantly recognisable Jay Saunders, and then Lee Spiller, you quickly realise it is going to be a long afternoon for your passengers.

With the Elite squad’s game against Sutton United postponed due to their opponents continued involvement in the FA Youth Cup which now has a home tie against Manchester City to look forward to, the Development squad was able to call on some of their senior colleagues, albeit for limited game time as they were turning out for the Under-21 side in the evening.

As appears usual with these games, no team sheets are available, so no names can be credited to the Maplesden side who came into the game with a perfect record from their opening three games.

Hugh Christie were forced back from the first whistle and needed to defend courageously, and sometimes desperately, but they held out for 15 minutes before a cross from the right bye-line was turned in at the near post.

The visitors deserved credit for continuing to hold out until the 43rd minute when the Maplesden 9 cut in from the right to bury a shot into the bottom corner.

Two-nil at the break was perfectly respectable and when Ned Snowdon-Lewis fired in a 30 yard free kick over the head of a tall goalkeeper, respectability turned into a bit of hope.

Two goals in a couple of minutes left the game remaining open. Maplesden’s 10 was allowed to run from deep to make it 3-1 but Hugh Christie hit back immediately when Lewis set up Luke Taylor to finish clinically for 3-2.

As Tom Parkinson commented about his Development side, unfortunately they have a habit of conceding goals in clusters around this point in matches and sure enough it happened again with 3-2 becoming 6-2 in a matter of 10 minutes.

Hugh Christie managed to reduce the deficit once more when Saul Musengy was sent clear to score, but two late goals made the score line probably a fair reflection of the game but it could have been so much closer had it not been for the confidence meltdown around the hour mark.