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Sport

Maidstone United 2 Gillingham 2 match report (Stones win 4-2 on pens)

By: Craig Tucker ctucker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 21:50, 19 March 2019

Updated: 23:02, 19 March 2019

Maidstone beat Gillingham on penalties to reach the Kent Senior Cup final.

Jack Powell, Leo Donnellan and Dan Wishart were all on target before Blair Turgott slotted the winning kick.

Elliott List saw his effort saved by Dion-Curtis Henry and Billy King skied his as the holders advanced 4-2 in the shoot-out.

Maidstone midfielder Leo Donnellan and Gills' Josh Rees fight for possession Picture: Andy Jones

Gills twice took the lead in the 90 minutes with goals from Tahvon Campbell - his first for the club - and List.

But they were pegged back by Elliott Romain and Justin Amaluzor as Maidstone took a lively tie the distance.

mpu1

Both clubs made plenty of changes but two strong XIs took to the park.

Notably for the Stones, there was a start for transfer-listed Jack Paxman while Gills included the likes of Bradley Garmston and Alex Lacey, working his way back from injury.

The sides met last season in the quarter-finals but the novelty value of a Stones v Gills derby was still there for both sets of fans, who traded songs all night and celebrated like lunatics when the goals went in.

Tahvon Campbell gives Gillingham the lead Picture: Andy Jones

Gillingham looked bright early on, popping the ball about nicely, with Regan Charles-Cook looking to run at the Stones defence.

Their opener came in just the eighth minute with Jack Tucker’s diagonal ball picked up by Charles-Cook and he found Campbell who slipped the ball into the far corner.

Josh Rees might have done more with a header from Ben Chapman’s cross but Maidstone grew into the game and levelled in the 18th minute when Romain got up well to head home Dan Meredith’s near-post cross.

There wasn’t a lot between the sides after that although Romain had a chance to put United 2-1 up when he volleyed over Leo Donnellan’s cross.

mpu2

Gillingham went back in front seven minutes before half-time, List running on to a lovely through ball from Billy King and finishing neatly past Henry.

Maidstone should have levelled two minutes later with another chance falling to the hardworking Romain.

Elliott Romain heads Maidstone's first equaliser Picture: Andy Jones

This time Aron Davies helped the ball over the Gills defence to send the Stones striker through one-on-one but his effort cleared the bar.

United had their second equaliser in the 48th minute when Amaluzor took advantage of hesitancy at the back and drove a superb low shot across Tom Hadler into the bottom corner after cutting in from the left.

Charles-Cook bent a 20-yard strike just wide from King’s pass as Gills threatened to regain the lead midway through the second half, then Hadler saved well from Donnellan after trickery from Paxman.

The game was opening up and King’s deflected effort was pushed past the post by Henry.

Right at the last knockings, Amaluzor’s curler didn’t have enough power to trouble Hadler, then Garmston’s free-kick was held.

Maidstone: Henry, Meredith, De Havilland, Edobor, Wishart, Davies, Phillips (Powell 84mins), Donnellan, Amaluzor, Romain, Paxman (Turgott 84mins). Subs not used: Strizovic, Walton, Richards.

Gillingham: Hadler, Chapman, Lacey, Tucker, Garmston, Oldaker, Rees, Charles-Cook, King, List, Campbell. Subs not used: Catherall, Simpson, Woods, Stevenson, Morrell.

Attendance: 1,389 (428 away).

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