Maidstone United saw their play-off ambitions suffer a significant blow as they surrendered a second-half lead to fall to defeat against Slough Town.
Bermudian prospect Noah Outerbridge was an unused substitute on an afternoon where his teammates lacked the defensive discipline to see out a crucial result. The defeat leaves the Stones five points adrift of the final play-off spot, with the gap between the promotion-chasing pack beginning to widen at a critical juncture of the season.
Maidstone had initially appeared well-placed to secure the points following a dominant first-half display. The breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute through a well-worked attacking sequence.
A searching ball from Leo Hamblin found Deon Moore, whose volley was parried by Slough keeper Adam Desbois. Although Moore scuffed the initial rebound, John Gilbert was on hand to react quickest and finish from close range to give the visitors a deserved 1–0 lead at the break.
The momentum shifted dramatically after the hour mark. In the 61st minute, Slough Town exploited a defensive lapse to hit Maidstone on the counter-attack. Makowski turned provider, picking out Basil Tuma, who kept his composure to slot a neat finish past Nathan Harness and restore parity.
Buoyed by the equaliser, the hosts took the lead just ten minutes later. Substitute Ruben Shakpoke proved to be the difference-maker, bypassing David Agbontohoma before pulling the ball back for Jaiden Drakes-Thomas. Drakes-Thomas made no mistake, stroking the ball into the net to complete the turnaround.
For Maidstone, the result is a bitter pill to swallow as they look to maintain their challenge for the post-season. For Outerbridge, the focus remains on breaking into a side that is struggling for consistency in the absence of a clean sheet. With the matches coming thick and fast, the Stones must rediscover their defensive resolve if they are to bridge the five-point gap to the top five.
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