Maidstone United reach the FA Cup 4th round for the first time ever

It comes after they beat League One side Stevenage, who sit 69 places above Maidstone in the football pyramid. Image: Helen Cooper.

Transcript

00:00 It was the biggest game of their careers. Sixth tier Maidstone United went into Saturday's

00:05 game against League One's Stevenage with nothing to lose. They'd already reached the third

00:10 round of the FA Cup for the first time since the club reformed in 1992 and were the lowest

00:15 ranked side still in the competition.

00:18 The 12.30 kick-off was met with a sell-out crowd at the Gallagher Stadium and the action

00:22 got underway quick with both sides putting in their all and struggling to settle on the

00:26 ball early on. 69 places between these two sides on the football pyramid and Maidstone

00:31 held their own in the first 20 minutes, negotiating well against a stronger and bigger opposition.

00:37 United's big moment came in first half added time when Jacob 'Berkley' Adepong was tripped

00:41 in the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Sam Corns stepped up for his club. A confident

00:46 smash put the Stones ahead going into the break and the upset was on.

00:51 Maidstone weathered a heavy second half pressure with Steve Evans making two changes to his

00:55 Stevenage 11 but the visitors just couldn't get past the stone-walled defence of Lucas

01:00 Cavagnari in goal. Jubilation at the Gallagher with hundreds of Maidstone fans storming the

01:06 pitch to enjoy the win with their club as they reached the fourth round for the first

01:10 time.

01:11 "We did the work in pre-season with them and we set out today to make sure history was

01:21 made. We told our players, I told the players before they came out today to enjoy every

01:25 bit of it, leave everything on the football pitch and have no regrets at the end of it.

01:30 But I told them there was one more step, there was one more step and we could cause an upset

01:34 today, a big one."

01:36 Meanwhile at Priestville, Gillingham didn't have quite the same luck against their Premier

01:40 League opposition Sheffield United. Another Kent upset looked unlikely at half-time with

01:45 Will Sula scoring twice to put the visitors two goals up and the amiss header from Max

01:49 Ema almost brought Gillingham back into it before James McAtee added a late double for

01:54 a 4-0 scoreline.

01:55 "Probably a little bit disappointed with the goals we conceded today. I wouldn't like to

02:00 concede them in League 2. We can always moan about goals, etc. But I think the boys will

02:06 be disappointed in them as well and I've mentioned that to them in the dressing room. But Sheffield

02:10 United, they're worthy winners and good luck to them in the next round."

02:14 Elsewhere and league action continued for Kent's sides with Ebbsfleet starting the new

02:17 year with a much-needed three points. They beat Weldstone at Stonebridge, marking the

02:22 relegation-threatened side's first clean sheet in 26 games and their third win in 21

02:28 National League matches.

02:29 In the National League South, just Tunbridge won out of Kent's playing sides, beating Weymouth

02:33 2-1. Bottom sitters Dover lost out 2-0 to Truro City and Dartford levelled with Western

02:38 Super Mare with Gillingham loanee Matty McArthur making his scoring debut for the Darts.

02:44 And finally, down in the Ydsmian Premier, no winners this week with second-placed Chatham

02:48 Town failing to find an equaliser against Bognor Regis. Folkestone found a draw with

02:52 Wingate and Finchley and ten-manned Margate suffered a last-minute own goal to deny them

02:57 a point.

02:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]