Harry Potter

Hemel Hempstead Town 1-1 Maidstone United (National League South)

I’m at Merchant Taylor’s School for the cricket and Middlesex women have just bowled Derbyshire out for 76. An early finish is on the cards, but I can’t go home to Nottingham just yet as I’m already booked into a hotel near Hemel Hempstead as I’m at Lords for the men’s game v Sussex on Sunday. I get out my Futbology app to see if Watford or Luton Town are at home.

No such luck? By the time Middlesex have chased down Derbyshire’s measly total, I’ve already made up my mind what to do with my spare afternoon, Whipsnade Zoo and Harry Potter tours aside, I’m tempted by Wealdstone v Truro or Boreham Wood against Rochdale, then I notice Hemel are at home against Maidstone, just a short drive from my hotel near Redbourn.

It’s only just gone half one, I’m in the car with Sat Nav on heading up the M1 towards Vauxhall Road, the first game of the National League South season, Maidstone the opponents, a good team who fell in the playoffs last year after being much fancied for promotion, a side managed by former Wolves defender George Elokobi.

The Venue

I’ve been here before, once, so I park up on a side street and walk up past the houses towards the venue, £17 to get in, I pay contactless and enjoy the sun whilst sitting outside the Tudors Bar with a cold San Miguel in a plastic pint tankard emblazoned with club logo.

It’s a lovely ground, packed, the pitch above the side walk as you look up from the bottom corner near the changing rooms where music blares out, the bottom end has a roofed stand for seating, the top end a roof end for standing, the two sides have covered areas for sitting, open spaces for standing, one end feels higher than the other, a definite slope down which can give either side kicking downhill steep attacking advantage.

As I’m ‘off duty’ today (and supposedly still working at the cricket) I’ve not done too much digging on team news, but it looks like Hemel Manager Lee Allinson has made a few changes to his side from last season, just a couple of familiar faces in the starting XI who I remember when I last watched the Tudors beat St Albans here in February. Samuel Adenola, Kyle Ajayi and Joe White those who I recognise.

As I finish my beer from a perched stool near the entrance to the dark and homely clubhouse which is still showing Southampton v Wrexham on the box, I walk down to the bottom left hand corner of the ground which is open to the elements, a full crowd today there’s limited space to park yourself without restriction or touching somebody, but a lowdown view by the corner flag gives you a panoramic shot of the complete venue in its glory, the synthetic pitch glistening in the sun, typically for August it’s a hot one to start the season with.

The Game

The match starts at laboured pace, the two sets of teams ‘finding each other out’ with long balls back to front, not much cohesion or substance to eithers attack, nothing prolonged, just get it away, and out of danger in the opponents half, it’s percentage football and Maidstone are slightly better at it, than their hosts.

United in gold and black have the early opportunities, Jesse Nwabueze attempts to dink over Michael Johnson who dives left to palm the cheeky chip shot over the bar, before an attempt from the following corner is headed over by Samuel Adenola who blocks a goalward Maidstone effort with his brave noggin.

Journeyman striker Deon Moore is providing to be a handful, he’s physical up top with good feet and Kyle Ajayi and Jordan Thompson give him too much respect. On 28 Moore brings a ball down and canters inside the area too easily, lining up Dajon Golding for a chance he cannot miss. Golding puts his hands over his mouth as he runs away in celebration in front of the silenced home support behind the goal.

The Score

It’s no less than what Maidstone deserve, the better team on the day, they are organised, solid, unfashionable, irritating, and Hemel Hempstead can’t lay a glove, the midfield battle is won and there’s only really one team in it at half time.

That trend continues into the second half too. The Stones dominate early on as their noisy following behind one goal sing ‘That’s the way (I like it) by KC and the Sunshine Band, possibly to the lyrics of ‘Stones away aha aha’ before daringly offering a jovial rendition of ‘we’re gonna win the league’.

It looks like more goals to be added too, Moore is denied with a header before the striker drills inches wide, John Gilbert their number ten goes close after a good run but as the home team make changes a plenty, they give it one last push and hit the bar on 86 after a goalmouth scramble when Ajayi clatters the woodwork, then in injury time another ball bouncing in the box falls nicely to second half substitute Millar Matthews-Lewis, he smashes home and celebrates in the crowd to pull the home side even with their first 'actual' shot on target.

The Stars

Despite them being held to a draw, Maidstone are the better side and they’ll rue not putting their opponents to bed when they had chances to double advantage, Leo Hamblin at left back defended well on debut, Sam Corne, skipper, sprayed the ball around in midfield effectively, but in attack, they possess strength, power, speed, trickery, in Deon Moore they have a real pedigree for the level, if they can keep him at the club? Now 26, he started at Peterborough United and joined Bristol Rovers in 2018 before numerous spells across non-league, most notably at Lewes FC, but too often he’s flattered to deceive and has bounced from club to club. He’s strong, good feet, holds the ball up well and looks to have enough ability to get regular goals, partnered with young Jesse Nwabueze and Dajon Golding (two other new signings) I think the frontline of Maidstone is a real nuisance for opposition defenders, they just have to stay together some more so they can gel.

Hemel’s back line did ok on the day, a little too much respect of Moore in the first half, they tightened in the second, Adenola at right back was no nonsense and athletic as he was when I first watched him back in Feb, pretty solid in the air and defending crosses were both Ajayi and Thompson at centre half, but going forward they offered little until Millar Matthews-Lewis came on, Mauro Vilhete earlier substituted, he of ‘Baller League’ fame, was largely on the periphery.

The Verdict

Last season, Hemel Hempstead Town finished mid table (12th) and I can see something similar happening again, Maidstone in the end, ended seventh in the National League South, and they’ll be expecting better than that this time around. Not a bad result for either team to open the campaign with, but both Managers will be looking towards their next games on Saturday, with improvements in all areas to build on.

The Teams

Hemel Hempstead Town: Michael Johnson, Samuel Adenola, Darion Dowrich, Kyle Ajayi, Jordan Thompson (Devante Stanley 75), Jake Gray (Jack Bateson 86), Joe White, Finley Wilkinson (Hamza Semakula 60), Ade Azeez. Mauro Vilhete (Millar Matthews-Lewis 60), Jermaine Anderson (Kyran Wiltshire 60).

Maidstone United: Nathan Harness, David Sesay, Leo Hambin, Lexus Beeden (David Agbontohoma 90), George Fowler, TJ Bramble, Sam Corne, Deon Moore (Josh Redfearn 78), John Gilbert, Dajon Golding (Riley Court 72), Jesse Nwabueze (Jephte Tanga 69).

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 9th August 2025, Vauxhall Road, Hemel Hempstead (att 936).