Stones keep rolling in FA Cup
SIXTH-TIER SIDE MAIDstone United stunned Championship high-flyers Ipswich 2-1 to reach the FA Cup fifth round last Saturday (Jan 27) in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s 153-year history.
Ipswich are 98 places and four divisions above Maidstone in the English football pyramid and currently in second place in the Championship.
However, the visitors scored two goals worthy of winning any cup tie as Lamar Reynolds produced a cool first-half chip over Christian Walton and Sam Corne kept his composure to fire in the winner 24 minutes from time.
Maidstone, nicknamed the Stones, needed a few heroics from Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Covolan and had to see out eight minutes of added time, but held out for a famous victory.
“Our boys have run themselves into the ground and that is what we said, ‘leave nothing in the changing room’,” said Maidstone manager, former Wolves defender George Elokobi.
“This binds us for life, what our boys are achieving right now, which has not been done over over 100 years. The magic of the FA Cup is very much alive.”
The non-league giantkillers, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, will now face Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry in the next round after they drew 1-1 last Friday to force a replay.
Elsewhere, holders Manchester City beat Tottenham 1-0 and will face Luton in the next round after the Hatters beat Everton 2-1.
Liverpool comfortably beat Norwich 5-2 and will now face Watford or Southampton, who played out a 1-1 draw, while Manchester United overcame a scare at fourth-tier minnows Newport County to advance 4-2 and will play Bristol City or Nottingham Forest in the next round.
Brighton travel to Wolves and Bournemouth entertain Championship leaders Leicester in the last 16 while Aston Villa or Chelsea, who played out a 0-0 draw last Friday, will face off against Leeds or Plymouth.
Newcastle, who beat Fulham 2-0 last Saturday, set up a tie against Blackburn who beat Wrexham 4-1 on Monday.