Maidstone United manager George Elokobi rallies non-league club’s travelling fans with pre-match speech as he labels his team ‘history makers’ ahead of shock FA Cup win at Ipswich
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Maidstone United manager George Elokobi told his club’s travelling fans that the team were history makers before they went on to make more history at Ipswich on Saturday.
The non-league side produced one of the great FA Cup upsets with Sam Corne bagging the winner in a 2-1 win at the Championship high-flyers in the FA Cup fourth round.
The Maidstone fans were waiting for their team as they arrived at Portman Road earlier in the day.
As the players got off the bus Elokobi too the opportunity to rally up the visiting side’s supporters.
Speaking to the group, Elokobi said: ‘nobody can take away what we, including this special group of players, have done.
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George Elokobi spoke to the Maidstone fans ahead of Saturday’s victory at Ipswich
‘So let’s savour every moment, every second of today’s occasion. Show respect to Ipswich Town.
‘We’re going to come here and give it our absolute best. And we will enjoy the game!’
And they certainly did enjoy the game as they overcame the odds to pull off a remarkable victory.
Stones were indebted to goalkeeper Lucas Covolan, who made a string of saves before Lamar Reynolds excellent 43rd-minute lob dared the 4,472-travelling fans from Kent to dream.
The non-league side produced one of the great FA Cup upsets as they won at Portman Road
Jeremy Sarmiento levelled for Ipswich at the start of the second half, but the Sky Bet Championship club were toppled when Corne rifled home with 24 minutes left at Portman Road to continue the fairytale run of the sixth tier side.
Maidstone had banked £231,375 in prize money on their way to the fourth round and while they had already knocked out League Two and League One opposition, Ipswich were a step up in class.
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