FA Cup special
MAIDSTONE
Five pages of reaction as Maidstone’s FA Cup run ends in disappointment after first round defeat
How many times have a Football League side been hailed by their boss as superheroes for putting parttimers out of the FA Cup?
But Paul Sturrock’s praise for his Yeovil players was understandable after their nine men held on for a 1- 0 victory in Sunday’s first-round tie at the Gallagher.
They were already down to 10 men when Wes Fogden punished a rare mistake by Lee Worgan to take the lead on 55 minutes.
Two minutes later they were down to nine, with keeper Artur Krysiak dismissed for bringing down Alex Osborn on the edge of the area.
Stones tried everything to break down the nine men.
They hit the woodwork and had an effort, that should have stood, disallowed – but Yeovil did a superb job of shutting the game down.
Expectations among the record crowd of 2,811 grew after the League 2 strugglers had defender Jakub Sokolik sent off after only seven minutes for a horrible challenge on James Rogers.
It almost did Yeovil – short on confidence and struggling in their league – a favour in that they were able to sit everyone behind the ball and let Maidstone get on with trying to break them down.
It’s an approach United have grown used to from visiting teams in the Ryman League and National League South but finding a way past Football League opponents was a different proposition.
Stones probed away but it wasn’t easy.
Matt Bodkin found himself free in the box but Osborn’s cross went over his head, surprise starter Alex Flisher dragged an effort wide and Driver thumped a speculative effort well over.
Maidstone’s best moment arrived late in the half, Flisher’s long throw was cleared only as far as Rogers, whose first-time effort flashed inches over.
Unsurprisingly, Sturrock’s visitors had shown little ambition.
Ryan Dickson curled a freekick wide when they still had 11 on the park, while Josh Sheehan’s 30-yarder was easy for Worgan.
Most of Stones’ best work went through Jack Paxman and he was prominent early in the second half, firing wide from 25 yards.
Yeovil took the lead through Fogden’s scrappy finish after Worgan flapped at a free-kick.
But the Glovers were down to nine men when Osborn intercepted a backpass and was taken down by goalkeeper Krysiak.
Flisher had an open goal and wanted to play on but it was too late.
If Yeovil had shown little ambition with 10 men, they were in no hurry to come out and play with nine.
Stones had just over half an hour to make their two-man advantage count, turning to Alex Akrofi and then last season’s cup hero, Frannie Collin, in a bid to find a way through.
Flisher thumped over and crossed for Akrofi whose diving header went wide – United’s best chance of the afternoon – with just over 10 minutes left.
Maidstone continued to knock at the door and saw Jamie Coyle’s header from a Bodkin corner hit the base of the post with substitute keeper Chris Weale beaten.
The Gallagher went mad as Akrofi met Mills’ cross in the last minute of normal time but nobody had seen the linesman’s flag. Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Parry, Paxman, Bodkin, Rogers, May ( Collin 74mins), Osborn ( Akrofi 62mins), Flisher ( Birchall 81mins). Subs not used: Watt, Taylor, Bridle- Card, Pinnock. Attendance: 2,811.