Maidstone United produced the biggest FA Cup upset at the weekend as the lowest-ranked team left in the competition beat Stevenage to reach the fourth round.
The sixth-tier club are waiting to learn who they face next after a 1-0 victory against the League One side sealed their sixth FA Cup win this season and a place in the hat for Monday night’s draw.
Here, the PA news agency turns the spotlight on The Stones, who have reached the fourth round for the first time.
Route to the fourth round
Second qualifying round – Steyning Town 1-4 Maidstone
Third qualifying round – Winchester City 0-2 Maidstone
Fourth qualifying round – Torquay 0-2 Maidstone
First round proper – Chesham United 0-2 Maidstone
Second round proper – Maidstone 2-1 Barrow
Third round proper – Maidstone 1-0 Stevenage
Upsetting the odds
Maidstone reached the third round proper for the first time since 1987 when coming from behind to beat League Two promotion-chasers Barrow 2-1 last month thanks to goals from Sam Corne and Bivesh Gurung, who fired a superb 74th-minute winner. Against Stevenage on Saturday, midfielder Corne kept a cool head to convert a first-half penalty and that was enough to dump out Steve Evans’ League One high-flyers, who are 69 places above The Stones in the league pyramid.
Elokobi eyes dream tie with Wolves
Manager George Elokobi said after his side’s win on Saturday that it would be a dream come true if they were drawn to play his former club Wolves in the fourth round. Elokobi, who moved to England from Cameroon aged 16, spent six years as a defender at Molineux before ending his playing career with The Stones and also had spells at Colchester, Oldham and Leyton Orient. “Whoever we draw, it’s a privilege and a great time to be a Maidstone United player, fan, for the management team, owners and backroom staff. It is a historic day,” he said.
Boom and bust
Maidstone won promotion to the Football League for the first time in 1989 but at the end of their third season in the old Fourth Division, the club’s debts had spiralled out of control and they were liquidated in 1992. A new club, Maidstone Invicta, was established in the Kent County League Fourth Division and in 1995 they changed their name to Maidstone United. They have had two spells in the National League since 2016 and were relegated to National League South last season.
Home from home
During their spell in the Football League, Maidstone were forced to play home games at Dartford as their ground was not up to standard and they were without a stadium of their own until 2012 when the £2.8million Gallagher Stadium was opened in the town on James Whatman Way. After several improvements, the ground now has a seated capacity of 4,200. Maidstone are currently fifth in the National League South table, 13 points behind leaders Yeovil.
Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat
It has been a difficult week for Chelsea and their boss Emma Hayes.
After seeing their Champions League dreams dashed by holders Barcelona on Saturday, they had no margin for error when they travelled to Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Wednesday.
Six points behind Manchester City with two games in hand but an inferior goal difference, the Blues needed three points to stop Hayes' final season in charge from totalling unravelling.
But there was to be no respite for the Blues, who were at one point tipped for a quadruple but have been stuck in a downward spiral since losing Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the winter break.
Matt Beard's Liverpool put on a tremendous display to win 4-3, with Gemma Bonner scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to leave Hayes certain the title is out of reach.
"I think the title is done," she said after Wednesday's game.
"Of course mathematically it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.
"This team has done a tremendous job in my time here to push for titles.
"I don’t know if we have ever conceded four goals in a half before. Three from set pieces is just unforgivable. But I'm going to credit Liverpool."
Chelsea now need an almighty collapse from City, who may only require three points from their remaining two matches to seal the title, if their goal difference advantage holds firm.
Hayes believes fighting on multiple fronts has not helped her team, adding: "We looked exhausted but I don't want to make excuses.
"I want to remind our fans how much success we have brought over the years. It's just not to be this year."
Next up, Chelsea face relegated Bristol City in their final home game before Hayes departs to take the United States job, with City taking on Arsenal in Sunday's headline fixture.
Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho issued a reminder of his star quality as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.
Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner after 36 minutes, taking in Nico Schlotterbeck's floated pass before driving a low shot beyond PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Fullkrug has now been involved in six Champions League goals this season (three goals, three assists), the joint-most by a German player in their debut campaign in the competition, alongside BVB team-mate Marco Reus in 2012-13 (four goals, two assists).
The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Sancho.
He tormented Nuno Mendes throughout a lively performance, creating three chances for his team-mates – a game-high tally alongside Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.
Sancho had completed seven dribbles by the halfway point, more than he managed in any full game for the Red Devils.
By full-time, that number had crept up to 12, the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi completed 16 for Barcelona against United in April 2008, and the most on record by an Englishman at any stage of the competition (since 2003-04).
Sancho even outshone Mbappe, who struck the far post with a curling effort early in the second half but was limited to just three shots totalling 0.17 expected goals (xG).
PSG did have their chances, though, with their total of 14 shots their most without scoring in any Champions League game since the second leg of their 2020-21 semi-final against Manchester City (also 14), when they were beaten 2-0 and eliminated from the competition.
Dortmund are now unbeaten in 11 straight Champions League home games, winning seven and drawing four.
It's their longest ever such streak at Signal Iduna Park, and they have also won four straight knockout games on their own turf for the first time in their Champions League history.
While Dortmund have a valuable lead to protect in Paris next Tuesday, Edin Terzic will be expecting a strong reaction from PSG.
The Ligue 1 champions have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, with the first of those successes coming against Dortmund in the last 16 in 2019-20 (1-2 away, 2-0 at home).
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win
Niclas Fullkrug fired home a first-half winner as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Germany.
Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fullkrug's path and the Germany international brought the ball under his spell with a wonderful touch before drilling a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.
PSG, on the back foot for much of the first half, improved after the break and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of moments just after the restart.
Kylian Mbappe curled an effort against the right-hand post before Achraf Hakimi scuffed a shot against the other upright on the rebound as Edin Terzic's side escaped with a first-leg lead.
The teams will meet again at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday, with the winners of the tie facing either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – who drew 2-2 in their first leg on Tuesday – in the final at Wembley Stadium.
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