Hatters stay on right road to Wembley by
FA TROPHY QUARTER FINAL REPLAY MAIDSTONE UTD ........... 0 COUNTY ............................ 3
COUNTY made light of a 500-mile-plus midweek round-trip to Maidstone a week ago yesterday by emphatically seeing off the ‘Stones’ at the second time of asking to book a double-date with another National League outfit, Fylde, in the two-legged FA Trophy Semi-finals.
The Hatters’ first-ever appearance in the last four was achieved courtesy of a second-half Jake Kirby brace and Jordan Keane’s addedtime header - and by a side featuring five changes from the original tie at Edgeley Park.
Although proceedings got off to a quiet start on the Gallagher Stadium’s 3G surface, County grew in confidence to launch a series of attacks that kept goalkeeper Chris Lewington busy from around the first half’s mid-point. Lewington first blocked Frank Mulhern’s snap-shot from a tight angle, before turning Scott Duxbury’s effort on to the crossbar, parrying behind a drive by Adam Thomas, clawing away an Ash Palmer header from a corner, and tipping Sam Walker’s free-kick around the left post.
The introduction for the second half of Maidstone’s leading scorer Blair Turgott appeared briefly to buoy up the hosts, as they earned two corners in quick succession - but their positivity was short-lived, with County taking the lead after 64 minutes.
Substitute Nyal Bell was the creator seizing on a loose ball, ahead of Lewington, on the right side of the home area, and then keeping his feet before squaring for Kirby to slot past a defender on the line.
The hosts responded with what turned out to be their best shot of the
evening, by Michael Phillips from 20 yards - but Ben Hinchliffe proved equal to it, as he brilliantly parried the effort beyond the left upright.
Walker, after 73 minutes, almost doubled the Hatters’ advantage in sensational fashion letting rip with a 35-yard shot that flew past Lewington, only to bounce off the top of the bar and over.
But 10 minutes later, Kirby bagged his and County’s second - and in similar manner to the first, as he found himself perfectly placed to fire in Osborne’s delivery from the right.
Corners were prevalent at each end late on, and the Hatters made their final one count with two minutes of added time played.
Walker’s delivery found Keane, who, from an unmarked position by the back post, headed home his second County goal in as many Tuesdays.