Hemel Hempstead Town 0 Maidstone United 4 match report: Stones two wins from National South title

Sam Corne scored twice as Maidstone moved to within two wins of the National South title with victory at Hemel.

Corne struck either side of Jack Barham, and Jerome Binnom-Williams added a classy late fourth, as United maintained their four-point cushion over Dorking with just three games remaining.

With Joan Luque ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury at Dartford on Monday, his place went to Christie Pattisson in the only change.

Luque, United’s 22-goal top scorer, may not have been on the pitch but he was very much part of the day, mixing with travelling fans behind the goal and even getting a song going.

Hakan Hayrettin’s side, chasing a seventh straight victory, took control of the game with two goals late in the first half.

The opener came in the 38th minute with Corne taking a lovely touch in the box before stroking the ball low into the far corner.

Number two followed seconds before half-time and what a goal it was, too, with Barham, on an angle outside the box, curling a beauty into the top corner for his 17th of the season.

Hemel had gone close to an early opener after Maidstone broke down in attack, skipper Gavin Hoyte with a goal-saving challenge after Pierre Fonkeu got clear and squared across the six-yard box.

Pattisson, playing from right, saw a thumping first-time volley hit the underside of the bar and bounce down on the line after meeting Roarie Deacon’s cross as Maidstone went close midway through the half.

Regan Booty saw a deflected strike go wide and Deacon’s long-range drive, after nice footwork by Binnom-Williams out wide, missed by inches, shortly before Corne opened the scoring.

Maidstone made a bright start to the second half and extended their lead in the 55th