A last minute decision to take a short drive to Potyn’s Field, home of Snodland Town, to watch their Under 23 Development side play a league match against the Under 23 Development Team of Maidstone United. Some of the Maidstone team had played earlier this week for the first team in their Kent Senior Trophy victory against Punjab United of the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) Premier Division. This has been a momentous week for Maidstone United with this Kent Senior Trophy win paling into insignificance when matched against their victory to go into the FA Cup 5th round, with an away win at Ipswich Town.

The Development League East table at kick off showed that Maidstone United sat fourth with 23 points from 11 matches. While Snodland Town sat lower, in seventh place, with 13 points, they had three games in hand over their local rivals.

After just five minutes Maidstone United were ahead, when their tall Number 16 fired the away side ahead from a corner which fell to him, on the edge of the Snodland Town penalty area.

In the eleventh minute the scores were level, at one all, when one of Snodland Town’s strikers forced a ball over the line from close range, after another corner.

The remainder of the half saw Snodland Town dominate possession, going close to scoring on three occasions. Maidstone United continued to look dangerous on the break, and at half time the sides went in level, with the points still on the table for either side.

The start of the second half saw the tables turn as Maidstone United were camped out in the Snodland Town half, albeit without creating a clear cut chance.

The next 15 minutes saw chances cleared off the line at both ends, as both teams threw caution to the wind, in the desperate attempt to secure a winner.

With just eight minutes to play, Snodland Town were finally ahead. A long ball met the head of a Snodland Town striker, who finished well to make it 2-1.

As the fulltime whistle blew it was the Snodland Town Development side who took all three points, after an entertaining match on a cold winter evening.