STONES ARE ROLLING ON AS ORIENT SLIP AWAY
THE magic of the FA Cup was evident at the Gallagher Stadium as a stunning goal from Blair Turgott and a strike on a dream debut for Elliott Romain saw Maidstone upset the form book and knock out Leyton Orient.
The O’s made six changes from their goalless draw with Hartlepool but Justin Edinburgh didn’t blame this for this side’s exit from the cup.
He said: “Everyone has been asking for the changes. If we had won then it would have been a masterstroke.
“It wasn’t about the shape today but about the poor goals and not being decisive in the final third.”
The first half never really sparked into life and although Orient had a couple of chances, it was the Stones who should have led at the break.
In first half stoppage-time, Turgott did well to get onto a loose ball and he poked it into the area but
from a tight angle, but poked it wide.
Turgott then made amends for his miss on 54 minutes with a brilliant individual goal.
The ball fell to Turgott who was close to his own box and he set off on a long run which took him all the way into Orient’s area before he crowned the moment with a calm finish into the far corner.
Harry Wheeler was delighted with his captain, saying afterwards.
He said: “Blair is a very good player and is frightening on the break. We were demanding him to keep going when he went on that run.
“He works tirelessly and that is the kind of performance that will get you noticed.”
With 14 minutes remaining, Maidstone made sure of their place in the next round.
Two minutes into his debut, Romain dispossessed Marvin Ekpiteta and ran into the area before slotting the ball past Dean Brill to make it 2-0.
Wheeler added: “That win is for the owners. They have been fantastic since I have come in.
“They have let me bring in who I have wanted even though things have been tight. Wins in the FA Cup for clubs at this level are massive and the owners deserve it.”