An uncharacteristic mistake by Maidstone United goalkeeper Lee Worgan was decisive in the Stones crashing out of this season’s FA Trophy to former Ryman League bogey side Bognor Regis Town.

Worgan, arguably Maidstone’s player of the season so far, dwelt too long on the ball in the right back position and when he slipped on the ball and stumbled, Chike Kandi was quick to capitalise, drive towards goal along the byline and, despite a desperate challenge from Jamie Coyle, slid home the winner in the 17th minute from an acute angle.

A frustrated and disappointed Jay Saunders, Maidstone’s manager, refused to criticise his goalkeeper after the game.  He looked more at the overall performance, and said “we’ve missed a chance to progress on the day, and the goal we’ve conceded is really disappointing.  Once again, second half, most of the game has been played in their half where we’ve put a lot of balls into the box to create chances and we’ve not taken them.  It’s another frustrating afternoon more than anything.”

“Lee’s in the changing room absolutely gutted, but we’ve had a long time in the game to get back into it.  He’s kept us in a lot of games this year, bailing us out in difficult times, and I’ve said that the other boys might have to do that for him.  We haven’t done that even though we’ve put a lot of balls in from crosses, set-pieces, corners, throws, and we’ve have a couple of really good chances but haven’t been able to take them again.  It’s the story of our season; we’re not scoring enough goals.”

“We’ve not been good enough to break them down, and if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games.  There may be people to are trying to be too safe.”

Despite their side showing three changes from Tuesday’s defeat against Whitehawk, the Stones couldn’t break their recent run of poor first half performances, and struggled to show any real creativity against their Ryman Premier opponents.

The first fifteen minutes saw two teams feeling each other out, with Maidstone’s most likely option coming from long throws by Alex Flisher.  One effort from the right led to a hurried shot from Alex Brown that flew over, after Jason Prior’s clearing header.

The only goal of the game came in the 17th minute, and it looked as though there was no danger as Worgan swept up a long ball in the right back area, even though Chike Kandi was closing him down.  Inexplicably, Worgan attempted to flick the ball up then go round the forward, but slipped on the ball in doing so, stumbled and this allowed Kandi to knock the ball away.  Kandi drove towards goal along the byline and, as Jamie Jamie Coyle tried desperately to put in a challenge, the Rocks forward slid his shot into the empty net from the narrowest of angles.

This seemed to wake up a lethargic home side and Maidstone forced three corners within a matter of minutes.  From the third corner by Flisher, Bognor’s defence failed to clear the initial ball, and Manny Parry was able to head into the path of Frannie Collin.  With the ball coming from behind his right side, Collin had to adjust and was only able to scoop his volley over the bar.

Coyle then flicked a header just over, but Maidstone were finding it difficult to hold the ball in the final third to create chances.  Meanwhile at the other end, it seemed as though Bognor had time and space to get in behind the Stones midfield at will, and an intricate move involving Prior, Kandi and Ollie Pearce almost allowed Prior to get into the area, but his first touch was too heavy and took the ball behind.

With the home crowd becoming more vocal, calling for Maidstone to try something different, James Rogers finally got a shot on target, but his 30-yard piledriver was straight at Grant Smith.  Jay May followed this up before the interval, connecting with Matt Bodkin’s cross with a volley that Smith was able to gather despite the attentions of Parry.

Maidstone stepped up their efforts in the second half, but found the Bognor Regis defence was being well marshalled by Sami El-Abd.  Flisher managed a shot on target, and Bobby-Joe Taylor, standing in at left back for the suspended Tom Mills, broke forward with purpose, cut past a defender and fired in a shot that hit Collin, standing in an offside position.

On a rare break, Pearce drew a good save from Worgan with a long-range shot.  But Bognor were being forced further and further back following the introduction of the pacy Charles Banya on the left, whose direct running seemed to give the Stones more purpose.

The best chance of the half fell to Frannie Collin on 73.  Worgan’s long clearance was flicked on by Flisher.  Collin found himself running free to the edge of the area, where he took an early shot that cannoned back off Smith’s left foot.  Whether Collin could have taken more time to compose himself, only he would know.

El-Abd was left unmarked in the Maidstone area from a corner, but his powerful header was too high to trouble the goal, and Prior also headed over as Maidstone committed players forward.

The last chance fell to substitute Alex Akrofi, as a Flisher header bounced off the top of his head while challenging Smith, but the ball dropped kindly into the keeper’s arms.

So it is Bognor Regis who progress into the Second Round, and claimed their FOURTH higher league scalp of the season in FA competitions.

MAIDSTONE UNITED: Lee Worgan, Callum Driver, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Jamie Coyle, Manny Parry, Alex Brown (Jack Paxman 69), Matt Bodkin, James Rogers, Jay May (Charles Banya 63), Frannie Collin (Alex Akrofi 81), Alex Flisher.

Subs not used: Reece Butler, Adam Birchall.

Cautions: Bobby-Joe Taylor 39, Lee Worgan 77, Manny Parry 89.

BOGNOR REGIS TOWN: Grant Smith, Harvey Whyte, James Crane, Doug Tuck (Alfie Rutherford 75), Sami El-Abd, Craig Robson, Ollie Pearce, Dan Beck, Jason Prior, Chike Kandi (Stuart Green 84), Chad Field.

Subs not used: Alex Parsons, Gary Charman.

Goal: Chike Kandi 17.

Cautions: James Crane 78, Sami El-Abd 89.

Attendance: 892
Referee: Mr Sam Purkiss
Assistants: Mr Thomas Marshall and Mr Dele Sotimirin
Fourth Official: Mr James Hurst