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Eastleigh 0 Maidstone United 4 FA Trophy match report: Stones reach Quarter-Finals with dominant display

Maidstone thrashed National League rivals Eastleigh to reach the Quarter-Finals of the FA Trophy.

Sha’mar Lawson and Regan Booty put the Stones 2-0 up inside 11 minutes and Roarie Deacon and Jerome Binnom-Williams added second half-goals after the hosts had skipper Aaron Martin sent off.

Maidstone United caretaker boss George Elokobi. Picture: Steve Terrell
Maidstone United caretaker boss George Elokobi. Picture: Steve Terrell

Regardless of the Spitfies playing for an hour with 10 men, United were already well on top and this comfortably goes down as their most complete performance this season in putting their league struggles to one side.

No wonder caretaker boss George Elokobi looked so happy at the end, for this display does his chances of continuing in the job no harm at all.

Maidstone, winners on penalties at Notts County in round four, started well, with Booty hitting the base of the post after turning on Deacon’s pass.

Moments later, they took a seventh-minute with Jack Barham working hard to play the ball to Lawson on the edge of the box and his first-time strike flew past Joe McDonnell.

Dan Barden kept Maidstone in front with an outstanding save after Danny Whitehall released Alfie Lloyd.

The visitors then doubled their lead on 11 minutes.

Deacon worked a corner short to Barham and he played the ball across goal for Booty to fire home down the middle of the goal, with McDonnell beaten for pace.

Maidstone were in control, calm and composed in defence and a good bet to extend their lead with Barham testing McDonnell at the end of a long run, while skipper Binnom-Williams headed over after losing his man from Booty’s inswinging free-kick.

Eastleigh’s problems mounted when big centre-back Martin was sent off for two yellows in five minutes.

He could have no complaints with either card, bringing down Alabi and then Barham as the Spitfires found themselves down to 10 men after 33 minutes.

Maidstone had a chance to add a third in first-half in injury time, Barham just unable to keep his shot down with McDonnell well out of his goal.

Away fans were singing about Wembley as Elokobi’s side extended their lead on 52 minutes.

Another short corner did the trick, Deacon this time exchanging passes with Booty before cutting inside and lashing into the far bottom corner.

Barden stuck out a leg to deny Carter from close-range moments later, just a reminder if Maidstone needed one that the tie wasn’t over.

And the Norwich loanee made an even better reaction save midway through the half to deny Carter once again in a busy penalty area.

It was effectively game over, though, as Maidstone added number four in the 74th minute.

Deacon was the provider, feeding Binnom-Williams in the box, and he bent the ball beautifully into the top corner for his second goal in as many weeks.

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Martin, Maghoma, Carter, Cisse (Atangana 73mins), Whitehall, Hesketh (Langston 33mins), McKiernan (Payne 73mins), Harper, Rutherford, Lloyd. Subs not used: Flitney, Tshaka, Stock, Harris.

Maidstone: Barden, Jobe, Fowler, Bone, Binnom-Williams, Booty, Lawson, Corne (Galvin 64mins), Deacon, Alabi (Pattisson 68mins), Barham (Wanjau-Smith 79mins). Subs not used: Mersin, Brown, Shonibare, Jeche.

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.

Attendance: Not given.

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