Maidstone United’s Academy side will look to cap a successful season when they face Eastbourne Borough in the Youth Alliance League Cup Final.
This season has already seen the Ambers side win the Football Conference Youth Alliance Kent/Sussex Division, while the Blues side is guaranteed second in the London/South East Division.
In addition, a number of the Academy students formed part of the Under-21 side who won the Ryman Under 21 South League last week.
The Ambers surpassed last season’s achievements, when they were knocked out at the semi-final stage of the League Cup, by defeating Ilkeston Town 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Manager Jack Parkinson, who also joined The Stones as a player in December 2013, said at the time “we’re all second-years this year. Last year we maybe overachieved a bit, but now we wanted to get to the final and it’s been a great effort. The boys have something to look forward to.”
“The problem we’ve had this year is that it’s been stop-start as we’ve had so many boys with the first team and it’s been hard to get all the boys together. We had a few of them speak before the Ilkeston game and they said this could be the last chance to win something as a youth team, and this is one competition we haven’t won.”
This year’s final will be played tomorrow (Wednesday) at Crawley Town FC’s Checkatrade.com Stadium, as the Ambers take on Eastbourne Borough.
Although Borough’s first team are a Conference South side, a league above Maidstone, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Maidstone will go into the match as underdogs.
The Ambers beat their Sussex counterparts 2-0 at Eastbourne in the first game of the league season, and followed this up with a 4-0 win in the return at the Gallagher Stadium two months ago.
Key to the Academy’s progress this year has been the involvement of the students in and around the first team squad. With club manager Jay Saunders joining Jack and Tom Parkinson and Ollie Lee in a day-to-day involvement in the Academy structure, Maidstone’s management team are in an almost unique position of being able to play alongside, as well as coach their young charges.
So far this season, sixteen of the Academy students have played in a competitive game for the Maidstone first team, with Jack Sullivan, Charley Robertson and Dan Parkinson establishing themselves in the team. In addition, Dan Johnson (Leatherhead) and Lee Pleau (Hythe) have experienced senior football at Ryman level.
Maidstone have organised a supporter’s coach for the final, and Jack Parkinson has acknowledged the support his sides have received from the club throughout the year.
He said “the club, the owners, Oliver, Terry and Bill, have done us proud with the way they’ve been pushing the Academy. It doesn’t really matter where the game is played, for the boys a pitch is a pitch, but it’s always nice to have a home advantage with the crowd cheering you on; it just gives the lads an opportunity.”
“I wouldn’t count us out just yet; we’ve played a lot of academies from League clubs and I really fancy our chances. Hopefully we can get a crowd out in force and I like to think the boys have got enough about them to get through.”
The Ambers’ manager has no fear about the prospect of penalties, as his side have won the three shootouts they have faced this season; two in this competition, the other in the FA Youth Cup, with goalkeeper Will Godmon starting to develop a reputation in the shootouts.
He added “we’ve had 3 penalty shootouts this year, and I’m a believer that I want five to come over to me. I’m not going to choose who takes them.”
“I’m not one to have penalties practised in training as you cannot replicate the pressure. Out there, there’s a big crowd and you know what is at stake.”
“There’s no pressure from me, I just say make sure you work the keeper, stick to your side and don’t change your mind.”
Eastbourne Borough v Maidstone United Ambers
Football Conference Youth Alliance League Cup Final
Wednesday 7th May 2014, 19:00 kickoff
Broadfield Stadium, Crawley