Preview: All you need to know ahead of National League game at Maidstone United

THE DETAILS

Maidstone United FC vs Wealdstone FC

Vanarama National League match

Gallagher Stadium

7.45pm kick off, Tuesday 13th September

TICKETS

Tickets MUST be bought before 6pm on Tuesday from Maidstone’s ticketing website. Adult tickets are £19, concessions are £15, 11 to 16 year olds are £11 with under 11s £3.

THE CONTEXT

Wealdstone travel to last season’s National League South champions Maidstone United looking to build on an excellent start to the season.

The opposition have had a decent start to the season, albeit displaying some inconsistencies, with wins against Torquay, Aldershot and York showing that Maidstone have what it takes to compete in the division.

However, losses to Dorking, Wrexham and Gateshead saw 13 goals conceded in those three games. Hakan Hayrettin’s squad consists of a few familiar faces for Stones fans, with former Stone Jack Cawley in a defence alongside stalwarts Joe Ellul and George Fowler. However, Maidstone have had to adapt to losing star man Joan Luque to an injury he suffered late last season.

ONE TO WATCH

Roarie Deacon is a man with plenty of National League pedigree, and has the joint most assists in the league with five so far this season. The 30-year-old midfielder is, of course, best known for his role in Sutton United’s 2016-17 FA Cup run, where he scored four goals in six games as the U’s made the Fifth round. After moves to Dundee and Havant, Deacon helped the Stones to promotion last season.

DID YOU KNOW?

Maidstone were the first English team to build a stadium with a 3G pitch. They moved into the Gallagher Stadium in July 2012 after more than 30 years of being homeless following the liquidation of the original Maidstone United in 1992.

FORM GUIDE

Stones:

Woking (H) 1-1 D (Kretzschmar)

Yeovil Town (H) 0-0 D

Gateshead (A) 1-0 W (Browne)

FC Halifax (H) 1-0 W (Browne)

Oldham (A) 2-1 W (Browne, Allarakhia)

Maidstone United:

Gateshead (A) 4-1 L (Ellul)

Aldershot Town (A) 3-1 W (Booty, Barham, Gurung)

Torquay United (H) 1-0 W (Alabi)

Wrexham (A) 5-0 L

Dorking Wanderers (H) 2-4 L (Barham, Pattison)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played – 13

Won – 5

Drawn – 5

Lost - 3

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

August 2019 – Stones 2-1 Maidstone (Clifford, Mendy)

March 2016 – Stones 2-2 Maidstone (Healy, Davies)

November 2015 – Maidstone 1-0 Stones

December 2013 – Stones 2-1 Maidstone (Cronin, Pett)

November 2013 – Maidstone 1-0 Stones