Maidstone beat a youthful Salford side to book their place in the quarter finals with an away game against Stockport County, this will be the furthest they have been since reforming, the old club lost in the quarter finals to Burton Albion after a replay.
Maidstone buoyed by their second half performance on Saturday against Fylde came out of the traps the quickest & in the 6th minute a corner into the area saw Simon Walton’s shot blocked & ricocheted to Aron Davis & from 10 yards his shot went over the bar, two minutes later Elliott Romain who would have his best ever game for Maidstone ran across the pitch from left to right before seeing his shot saved at the second attempt by Max Crocombe.
In the very next minute Maidstone took the lead when Jack Powell on the left got to the by-line & his low cross to the back post came to Michael Phillips who from 3 yards slotted in. Maidstone were enjoying a lot of possession & in the 16th minute Romain put Ollie Muldoon through & once in the area his shot from an acute angle was saved by Crocombe.
In the 20th minute Stones nearly doubled their lead when Dan Wishart on the left wing crossed into the 6 yard box where Phillips rose but his header came back of the post. Seven minutes later Romain running forward passed into the path of Jack Paxman who from 25 yards saw his shot go over the bar. In the 36th minute Salford nearly got an equaliser when a free kick into the area was punched clear by Dion-Curtis Henry but only to Gus Mafuta & from 18 yards he controlled it & shot but it went inches past the post.
In the first minute of added on time Mafuta latched onto a clearance from a free kick & again his shot went just past the post.
The second half started like the first with Maidstone having a lot of possession & in the 47th minute they nearly doubled their lead in a strange fashion when Shaun Donnellan 15 yards out saw his shot headed goal wards by Mafuta forcing Crocombe to save it.
In the 57th & 58th minute Paxman had two half chances firstly his shot from 20 yards was saved by Crocombe & then a clearance fell to him & from 25 yards his volley went past the post. In the 59th minute Maidstone doubled their lead when Davis on the left passed inside to Romain who controlled it & from 18 yards saw his shot go in the bottom left hand corner. Salford were nearly given a lifeline when Kamar Moncrieffe on the right saw his low cross fumbled by Henry & cleared by De Havilland just before a Salford player could shoot.
The last twenty minutes saw Maidstone dominate & have a few chances to extend their lead, in the 81st minute a Powell free kick 25 yards out flew over the bar. Two minutes later Phillips in the area received the ball turned & shot forcing Crocombe to parry it away & then in the 89th minute it was three when a corner fizzed in low found De Havilland who stabbed it home.
A minute later it could have been four when Phillips in the area crossed low to the back post where Romain was but his side foot effort from 6 yards went wide. The final whistle went & it is now three games without defeat for Maidstone & confidence will be high after this performance.
MAIDSTONE UNITED:
D-C HENRY 5. W.DeHAVILLAND 6.A.DAVIS 8. J.POWELL 9. E.ROMAIN 10. J.PAXMAN (81) 16. D.WISHART
20. S.WALTON (41) 21. O.MULDOON (86) 22. M.PHILLIPS 27. S.DONNELLAN
SUBS USED: 28. A.TAJBAKHSH (41) 2. D.MEREDITH (81) 23. J.RICHARDS (86)
SUBS NOT USED: 12. J.STRIZOVIC 25 R.SWAINE
BOOKINGS: 9. E.ROMAIN (45+2)
SALFORD CITY:
M.CROCOMBE 35. S.ADETILOYE (67) 26. J.JONES 41. M.FOULDS 34. A.DOYLE 4. G.MATUFA
J.ASKEW 27. K.GLYNN 39. K.MONCRIEFFE (78) 15. D.REDMOND ( DEBUT ) 20. M.DIESERUVWE (89)
SUBS USED: 42. T.DYSON (67) 40. D.JAMES-TAYLOR (78) 28. E.OGUNRINDE (89)
SUBS NOT USED: 31. G.NEAVE 36. W.SHEPHERD
BOOKINGS: 15. D.REDMOND (80) 42. T.DYSON (86)
REFEREE: Mr G.PARSONS
ASSISTANTS: Mr M.DESBOROUGH & Mr M.CHARD
4th OFFICIAL: Mr A.AJIBOLA
ATTENDANCE: 880 ( 4 Salford).