Maidstone United have progressed to the Semi-finals of the Kent Reliance Senior Cup with victory over local rivals Gillingham.

This was the first time for 25 years that these sides have met competitively and they did not let those who were at the Gallagher Stadium down as managers Saunders and Lovell put out strong sides and showed that they wanted to win.

The game started with Maidstone enjoying possession but the Gills looked dangerous going forward. In the 5^th minute Delano Sam-Yorke controlled the ball turned and saw his shot from 20 yards saved by Stuart Nelson.

In the 10^th minute a intricate move down the middle from Gillingham saw Lee Worgan rushing out of his area and clearing the danger and his long clearance saw Jamar Loza and Nelson contest for it just outside the area and both players committed clashed heads and both Physios came on, the game was held up for a couple of minutes, both players after treatment were ok.

Six minutes later the ball came to Darius Osei 20 yards out and twisting &andturning allowed him space to shoot but Nelson held on to it.

Four minutes later Sam-Yorke on a counter attack passed to Osei on the edge of the area and he threaded the ball through to Jai Reason who from 15 yards shot over the bar.

In the 22^nd minute another half chance came when a Maidstone corner was half cleared and eventually ended up at the back post where Josh Hare was and from 15 yards his shot went just past the post.

Four minutes later and Maidstone took a deserved lead when Jack Paxman received the ball, chested it down and from 15 yards shot past Nelson.

A minute later Gills had their first chance when Liam Nash on the left saw his 20 yard shot go wide. In the 33^rd minute Loza on the right cut in and his shot from 20 yards was saved at the second attempt by Nelson.

Another chance came in the 38^th minute when Reason’s cross into the area saw Osei head over the bar. In the 39^th minute Elliott List on the right went into the area and from an acute angle saw his powerful shot parried away by Worgan for a corner.

Two minutes later Gillingham equalised against the run of play when Nash saw his powerful effort from the edge of the area parried away by Worgan but trialist Rhys Murphy reacted the quickest and nodded in from 2 yards.

Maidstone reacted to this by nearly scoring when in the 42^nd minute Reason latched onto a loose ball and fed Loza who from 15 yards saw his shot go across the area and then in the first minute of added on time a cross to the back post found Osei who inadvertently shot across goal instead of shooting straight when he would have scored, would he regret this.

The second half was similar to the first with Maidstone having a lot of possession but Gills looking dangerous going forward. In the 49^th minute Greg Cundle on the left cut inside and his curling effort forced Worgan to push it around the post.

This got Maidstone going as in the 55^th minute Paxman passed inside to Reason who from 20 yards shot just past the post and three minutes later Reece Prestidge 30 yards out saw his shot beat Nelson but hit the top of the bar.

Maidstone were now creating chances galore as in the 63^rd Sam-Yorke passed out wide to Osei who went into the area and his cross shot evaded everyone, a minute later Seth Nana Twumasi on the right cut inside went along the penalty area before seeing his shot go inches past the post.

In the 72^nd minute the stadium erupted when Prestidge 25 yards out tried his luck and this time with a deflection the ball went over Nelson into the net.

Gillingham had it all to do and in the 75^th minute they had a glorious chance to equalise when a free kick to the back post found Ben Nugent free but from 12 yards he headed over the bar.

In the 78^th minute Nelson made a superb save when a free kick into the area was half cleared and came back into the area for Prestidge who from 2 yards saw him push it around the post.

In the 81^st minute Loza escaped the attention of two defenders ran into the area & from an acute angle saw his shot saved by Nelson.

Gillingham’s last chance came in the 90^th minute when Conor Wilkinson 22 yards out saw his shot go just past the post.

After 3 minutes of added on time the final whistle went amd Maidstone are through to the Semi-Finals with Folkestone Invicta, Bromley & Charlton Athletic.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. J.HARE  4. R.PRESTIDGE  5. A.WYNTER  7.J.LOZA (88)  9. D.SAM-YORKE  10. J.PAXMAN 13. J.ANDERSON 14, J.REASON  16. S.NANA TWUMASI  17. D.OSEI.

SUBS USED:   23. J.RICHARDS (88).

SUBS NOT USED:  8. S.LWIS  18. E. CAPEL  20. T.TAYLOR  25. R.BARTLETT.

BOOKINGS:  NONE

 

GILLINGHAM:

1. NELSON 4. A.LACEY  8. R.MURPHY (ON TRIAL, 57)  10. C.WILKINSON  12. C.OGILVIE  19. B.NUGENT20. D.OLDAKER (78) 21. E.LIST (69)  24. G.CUNDLE  27. L.NASH  28. F.MOUSSA (ON TRIAL ).

SUBS USED:  23. A.SIMPSON (57)  17. N.MBO (69) 6. N.NASSERI (ON TRIAL, 78).

SUBS NOT USED:  30. T.HADLER  31. J.TUCKER.

BOOKINGS:  28. F.MOUSSA (45+2)  20 D.OLDAKER (66).

 

REFEREE:  Mr P.YATES

ASSISTANTS:   Mr N.DUNN  &  Mr O.JACKSON

4^th OFFICIAL:  Mr J.STOKES

ATTENDANCE: 1613

Picture supplied by Kent Pro Images.