Maidstone United are through to the next round of the cup but it wasn’t plain sailing as South Park made them fight for 60 minutes and a shock was on the cards as Park took a 2-1 lead but most people would say that the two division difference told.

The game started with Maidstone having the most of possession and in the 6^th minute Adam Birchall saw his shot from 20 yards fly past the post, 6 minutes later a Bobby-Joe Taylor corner into the 6 yard box found Manny Parry whose header was straight at James Wastell.

Maidstone finally took the lead in the 19^th minute when Callum Driver quick throw to Birchall in the area saw him turn and from the by-line his low cross was met by Jay May to stab home from 3 yards.

Everyone at the ground apart from South Park thought that the floodgates would open and in the very next minute Jack Paxman threaded the ball through to Joe Healy and from an angle 12 yards out shot across the goal, but fair play to them they kept their composure and in the 24^th minute Joe Jackson received the ball 20 yards out and his snap shot warmed the gloves of Lee Worgan.

In the very next minute Taylor went on a run from halfway and then his shot from the edge of the area was parried away for a corner by Wastell, two minutes later another half chance came for Park as Dale Burgess and Nathan Ayling combined for Burgess to send his low cross flashing across the area but avoiding anyone touching it.

In the 31^st minute Wastell kept Park in the game when Taylor’s cross to the back post saw Jay’s header tipped over the bar and then in the 34^th minute Park stunned the crowd when they equalised, Parry fouled Jackson on the edge of the area and Dean Lovegrove saw his free kick go round the wall 2 feet in the air and end up in the net.

Three minutes later it was like a morgue as Park went in front, Burgess in the area jinked in and out before his curling shot forced Worgan to palm away but only to Jackson who nipped in and smashed home from 3 yards.

Maidstone got back into the game in the 40^th minute when Taylor on the left wing saw his cross to the back post avoid May but not Matt Bodkin who volleyed in from 5 yards and three minutes later they took the lead when Taylor’s free kick 40 yards out to the back post found Joe Healy who headed in from 3 yards.

Half time arrived and both managers’ team talks would have changed after the last five minutes of the half.

The second half started slowly for both teams and only came to life in the 60^th minute when Maidstone increased their lead, Alex Osborn making his debut received the ball on the right wing from Birchall and his low cross into the area was met by Bodkin who knocked it from 8 yards.

In the 70^th minute things got harder for Park as Jackson was sent off for violent conduct as he appeared to kick Parry in the face.

Maidstone were now in total control and in the 79^th minute Bodkin on the left got to the by-line before his low cross to the back post found Osborn but he stabbed the ball over the bar.

In the 80^th minute Tom Mills cross into the area found May but his hooked effort was deflected for a corner and from the resulting corner Maidstone scored again when it went to the back post was headed back to Osborn whose shot from 15 yards was deflected past Wastell by Alex Akrofi three yards out.

Before Park could take the kick off the loudest cheer of the game came when Alex Flisher made his long awaited comeback and 6 minutes later Mills passed to Flisher on the left and his cross found Bodkin who passed the ball into the back of the net for his hat trick.

In time added on it could have been seven when a long throw from Flisher into the area was met by Jamie Coyle but he headed over the bar.

The final whistle went and a bit of relief went around the ground as they had not been part of a giant killing and they could look forward to Monday’s draw with £4500 in the bank with this victory.

 

MAIDSTONE UNITED:

1. WORGAN 2. C.DRIVER  3. T.MILLS  4. J.COYLE  5. M.PARRY  6. J.PAXMAN  7. M.BODKIN  8. J.HEALY 9. J.MAY (81) 10. A.BIRCHALL (68)  11. B-J TAYLOR (54)

SUBS USED: 18. A.OSBORN 54,  (DEBUT)  14. A.AKROFI (68)  19. A.FLISHER (81)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. S.WATT  15. S.JOHNSON  16. M.PINNOCK  17. S.REED

BOOKINGS; 5. M.PARRY (32)

 

SOUTH PARK:

1. WASTELL 2. J.McELLIGOTT  3. D.LOVEGROVE  4. J.STAFFORD  5. D.MERCHANT  6. A-R NICHOLLS (71) 7. K.PARKER (71) 8. N.AYLING (81)  9. K.LAVERY  10. J.JACKSON  11. D.BURGESS

SUBS USED: 15. K.QUARTEY (71)  16. J.MACLEOD (71)  12. R. SMITH (81)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. J.HATFIELD  17. J.WATTS  18. J. O’SULLIVAN

BOOKINGS: NONE

SENT OFF: 10. J.JACKSON

 

REFEREE: Mr C.BROOK

ASSISTANTS: Mr J.PIKE & Mr J.WELLS

ATTENDANCE: 1,169