Gills dismiss Stevenage overtures for Evans

It was a winless month for Gillingham, but manager Steve Evans was still in demand.

Bookies made Evans, in the final year of his Gills contract, favourite for the vacant manager’s job at League 2 Stevenage after Alex Revell’s sacking.

After two days of speculation, Gills released a statement confirming chairman Paul Scally had rejected an approach. It said: “Further to recent media speculation the club can confirm that manager Steve Evans is contracted to Gillingham Football Club until June 30 2022.

“Whilst Stevenage FC did make a request on Tuesday afternoon to speak with our manager, that request was rejected.

“We look forward to Steve leading the team for the remainder of his contract, and hopefully beyond.”

On the field, hopes of an FA Cup run ended at the first hurdle when Gills were knocked out by Cheltenham.

The first round-draw gave Gills the chance to avenge August’s League Cup penalty shoot-out defeat against the Robins, but they were held 1-1 at Priestfield before losing the replay 1-0. The sides then met for the third time in less than three weeks in League 1, with Cheltenham winning 2-0.

Steve King collected his first piece of silverware as Dartford boss. His side thrashed Whitstable 6-1 in the delayed 2019/20 Kent Senior Cup final, with Jake Robinson scoring a hat-trick.

In cricket, Kent’s Sam Billings replaced the injured Jason Roy for England’s T20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, catching Glenn Phillips off the bowling of Liam Livingstone, but Eoin Morgan’s side lost a dramatic semi-final by five wickets.

Kiwi fast bowler Matt Henry agreed a deal to return to St Lawrence next July. Henry, who played for Kent in 2018, was expected to rejoin the club in 2020 before the deal was scrapped due to the pandemic.

Tributes were paid to former Kent and England seamer Alan Igglesden, who died aged 57. Igglesden had revealed he was getting end-of-life care in May, following two major strokes and the growth of his brain tumour.

Kent Speedway promoter Len Silver announced his retirement with the Kent Kings facing an uncertain future following the sale of their Central Park home.

Silver’s co-promoter, Roger Cearns, sold the stadium to

Arena Racing Company in April, with the new owners yet to confirm that speedway could continue at the Sittingbourne venue.

Cearns sought verbal agreement during the sale but nothing was ratified in writing, leaving Kent no option but to release all their riders.

That proved the final straw for legendary promoter Silver, 89, who was instrumental in bringing speedway to Central Park in 2013.

Former Maidstone schoolgirl Alessia Russo scored a hat-trick for England’s Women as they thrashed Latvia 20-0 in World Cup qualifying.