Preview - Maidstone United (H) - Saturday 31st August
Wealdstone welcome in-form Maidstone United to The Vale on Saturday afternoon for the feature fixture in the National League South.
The Stones are high-flying at the top of the National League South, but this could be the toughest test so far.
Maidstone are unbeaten in their last five games after picking up six points on Bank Holiday weekend and are tipped to finish high in the play-off places at the end of the season.
Wealdstone Manager Dean Brennan on Saturday’s game: “It’s a game we are really looking forward to because these are the games we want to be playing in.”
The Kent-based Stones were relegated from the National League last season and their Player of the Season Michael Phillips has become a strong asset for Wealdstone.
Maidstone didn’t start the season how they may have liked, suffering defeat in their opening two games of the season. Since then, the Kent-based Stones have not lost since.
Wealdstone have made an incredible start to the new season, winning six of their first seven games. Tough games against Dartford, Hemel Hempstead and Weymouth have all been overcome by the Stones.
Brennan on the positive start: “We’ve won six out of seven and that’s all we can affect, I can’t affect what John Still does, what Paul Doswell does or what Ian Herring does”.
The men in-form for the Stones is a dynamic duo, Ross Lafayette and Dennon Lewis. The pair have been involved in the last six goals scored by Wealdstone.
Both players are extremely high on confidence, Lafayette has scored four in his last two games, including a hat-trick at Weymouth and is joint-top of the National League South goal-scoring charts.
Lewis on the other hand has been involved in six goals in the opening month of the season, including three goals and one assist in his last three games.
Plenty of Wealdstone midfielders have also been in good form, such as Danny Green who has registered one goal and four assists in the opening month, as well as Jacob Mendy who has three goals and one assist.
There is only one injury doubt for Maidstone as their captain George Elokobi was substituted before half-time in their 4-1 win against Chelmsford City on Bank Holiday Monday.
Norwich City loanee ‘keeper Aston Oxborough was injured for Wealdstone in the second half at Weymouth but is likely to start again this weekend.
Connor Smith and Phil Roberts took part in full training for the Stones and can also be set to return to the match day squad.
Stones left-back Ryan Sellers is far less likely to return this weekend; however, he is making steady progress and did endure a light session on Thursday evening.
The match of the weekend is almost upon us, which Stones will be left unturned?
Preview by Dec O'Reilly
Dean Brennan's full Pre-Match quotes HERE
Full match details HERE