On tonight's episode, we take a look ahead to Maidstone's historic cup tie in round 4 of the FA Cup, plus a roundup of the Invicta Volleyball League as it returns with its first triangle fixture of the season in Canterbury.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Hello and welcome along to Invicta Sport, it's the only show on your TV dedicated to
00:18 wrapping up all of Kent's sporting action.
00:20 I'm Bartholomew Hall and here's what to expect on this Friday the 26th of January.
00:26 Their big day, Maidstone buzzes with excitement ahead of the club's historic fourth round
00:31 FA Cup tie.
00:35 Leaping into the season, Invicta Volleyball League restarts in Kent following the sport's
00:39 national growth and action replay.
00:41 We take a look at pictures and videos of you, the KMTV audience, getting active.
00:47 But first, as always, a round up of the headlines.
00:50 And Burton Albion's Josh Walker will join Gillingham on loan until the end of the season.
00:54 The League One striker joins Priestfield after starting his career in Tottenham's youth side.
00:59 He later went on to play for Fulham's under-23s before moving into non-league sides.
01:04 He should be available for the Gills this Saturday when they head to MK Dons.
01:08 Josh Walker will replace Lewis Walker, no relation there who left the squad last week.
01:12 Head coach Stephen Clements has hinted at more departures that could be made.
01:16 You never want to have loads and loads of players because it becomes difficult to train
01:21 them because then generally you don't want any on a training pitch you want 20 outfield
01:27 players plus the goalkeepers so you can work on shape etc.
01:30 And if you start going over that number then you are leaving two or three players that
01:34 are having to go and do a different session and then you're dropping them into the session
01:37 and others going out.
01:38 It's not ideal but it does happen and it has to happen at times and I think in my position
01:46 here I just want as many good players as possible.
01:49 Suspected thieves have reportedly stolen around £600 from Ramsgate Football Club.
01:55 These images show the moment the till is reportedly taken from the club's stadium bar.
02:02 Club bosses have joined forces with Kent Police to help identify the suspects following the
02:06 2am break-in on Monday.
02:08 They're appealing for anyone with information to contact 101.
02:11 A spokesperson from the club says they were in and out very quickly and attempted to disable
02:16 the CCTV.
02:17 The police say that their enquiries are ongoing, they're reviewing CCTV footage and urge anyone
02:22 with information to come forward.
02:24 A bit of a blow there for Ramsgate of course.
02:27 Now Kent's Zach Crawley has been in action with England this week.
02:32 It's the Test Series against India of course.
02:34 Tunbridge-born Zach Crawley was bowled out for 20 runs off in an Ashwin delivery in the
02:39 first innings.
02:41 The hosts have taken a strong lead in Hyderabad with England now facing a huge challenge to
02:46 bring themselves back in with the first Test closing on day 2 on 421 for 7.
02:54 India are currently leading England by 175 runs with three wickets remaining.
02:59 This weekend they've all been waiting for and it's finally arrived.
03:04 Maidstone United fans is here, it's happening.
03:07 4,500 of them will be making the trip from Kent to Suffolk ahead of the club's first
03:11 ever FA Cup fifth round appearance.
03:14 Maidstone's are the lowest ranked and the only non-league side still in this year's
03:17 competition.
03:18 They're also the only Kent team too.
03:20 Well there might be many making the journey up there but here, pubs, clubs and across
03:24 the county will be showing the game for crowds live on TV.
03:28 And joining us now from one of those live is our reporter Gabriel Morris.
03:32 Here he is.
03:33 Well, I say here he is, he's there somewhere.
03:35 Gabriel where are you?
03:37 What's the atmosphere like?
03:38 Far following me, welcome to the coach house in the centre of Maidstone.
03:43 The banners are up, the balloons are up in the club colours and 4,500 fans will be making
03:49 their way up to Ipswich tomorrow for the FA Cup fourth round.
03:53 Maidstone United versus Ipswich Town.
03:56 They're in the final 32 of the FA Cup.
03:59 It's the furthest Maidstone United have ever been and the whole county is backing Maidstone
04:05 United.
04:06 Well most of the county I'm sure are backing the team.
04:09 Well it's going to be shown on the big screens tomorrow and one of the screens that's going
04:13 to be shown is here and Steve is the landlord of this pub.
04:16 Steve, what's the atmosphere going to be like here tomorrow?
04:18 It's going to be electric.
04:19 It's going to be great.
04:20 It's for the FA Cup.
04:21 It's the magic of the FA Cup.
04:23 And how many people do you think are going to be in this pub tomorrow?
04:26 Hopefully lots.
04:28 It's all about, I think all the pubs in Maidstone are going to be busy.
04:32 The whole town is coming together.
04:34 It's the furthest we've ever been and yeah, really looking forward to it.
04:38 Have you got enough beer for tomorrow?
04:39 That's the big question.
04:40 I hope so.
04:42 Of course always drink responsibly when out and as I just said 4,500 fans are going to
04:47 be making their way up to Ipswich tomorrow.
04:50 One of them is Matt.
04:51 Matt, how are you feeling for tomorrow?
04:53 Early start?
04:54 Early start, I'm leaving at 7, 8 o'clock sort of time but I'm not nervous at all.
04:58 I think we'll smash it.
05:00 You're going to be in the ground.
05:02 Can the boys do it tomorrow?
05:04 100%.
05:05 No, definitely.
05:06 It's going to be the biggest game of their lives and our lives also.
05:09 I'm honestly really confident.
05:11 Amazing.
05:12 Well, this has been attracting the attention of the Sporting the Footy World for the past
05:17 few weeks now since that Stevenage game and we've even heard from some international pop
05:22 stars as well.
05:23 Here's James Arthur talking to KMFM earlier today.
05:26 A message from Maidstone United.
05:29 I'm backing you on Saturday against Ipswich mainly because we want to stick it to Ed Sheeran.
05:35 He's had too much success in his career and I want to bring him down a peg or two.
05:40 I've played at your stadium a couple of times and scored a back heel penalty there.
05:45 So if you need me, I'm about.
05:49 Good luck.
05:50 KMFM.
05:51 Well, here we are.
05:54 It's a big game tomorrow.
05:58 How did we get here?
05:59 Let's take a look.
06:00 There were scenes of pure jubilation here as Sam Cohn's penalty sent the Stones into
06:08 the next round, but a huge performance is needed of George Alakobi's men if they are
06:12 to overturn the Tractor Boys.
06:14 I'm here to speak to assistant manager Craig Fagan and some of the team to see how they're
06:18 feeling ahead of the big day.
06:20 Myself and the gaffer are pretty optimistic.
06:23 Nobody really gives us a chance against Barrow and then against Stevenage.
06:26 So it's a different test playing away from home.
06:31 We still think we're going to give a good count of ourselves and the magic of the FA
06:35 Cup, anything can happen.
06:36 It only takes one chance.
06:37 We only need to score one goal if they don't score.
06:40 So it's there.
06:41 It's an opportunity for us and history can be rewritten again for this football club
06:45 without a doubt.
06:46 I think the scenes after the game, I think it hit everyone, but then not until the draw,
06:51 that's when it really hits you.
06:53 And obviously the game is going to be tremendous.
06:56 I think everyone can't wait for it.
06:59 There's still an opportunity, isn't it?
07:01 It's 11 against 11.
07:02 You never know what can happen.
07:04 It's something you always dream of as a little boy to play in big crowds and I'm sure the
07:08 boys will love it.
07:10 We'll enjoy the day and yes, see where it goes.
07:13 I'm here in Maidstone to ask the fans how they're feeling ahead of the match.
07:17 I reckon 2-0 to Maidstone.
07:19 I mean, we're pretty good at the moment.
07:20 So we will win.
07:22 I think we'll win it because we've got nothing to lose.
07:26 We will just go all out.
07:27 The boys are brilliant.
07:28 The manager's brilliant.
07:29 We'll just go all out to win.
07:32 I hope we could cause an upset, but we'll see.
07:35 So yeah, looking forward to it.
07:36 They have shocked everyone.
07:38 We didn't think they would get this far.
07:41 Everyone's so excited.
07:42 Obviously, getting into the third round itself was amazing and now to get even further is
07:48 just a bonus.
07:49 I reckon it's going to be a tough game, definitely, but I think we'll get the support up there.
07:54 Lots of travelling fans and yeah, I reckon a nice 2-1 win.
07:58 Excitement's starting to build here in Maidstone, but all eyes now on Portman Road.
08:02 Emily Riley-O'Donnell in Maidstone for KMTV.
08:06 Well, Gabriel, it's looking exciting in the pub.
08:09 Sounds like some really optimistic fans, both on the street and at the pub there.
08:13 So yeah, well, best of luck for the Stones.
08:16 Gabriel, thank you very much for joining us.
08:18 But of course, sticking with the Stones, they had a press conference this week where the
08:22 Nation's Press turned their eyes and their cameras towards some of the players.
08:26 Let's take a look.
08:27 Seated, mic'd up and ready to face the country's press.
08:33 Maidstone United have already put themselves in the national spotlight and on Saturday
08:36 lunchtime they'll be facing their biggest crowd ever after reaching the FA Cup's fourth
08:41 round for the first time.
08:44 In the hot seats, manager and former Wolverhampton Wanderers player Georgie Lacobi, assistant
08:49 manager and former Birmingham City forward Craig Fagan, former Arsenal player and club
08:54 captain Gavin Hoyt and the man who got them all to round four with his stunning penalty
08:59 kick against Stevenage, Sam Corn.
09:01 Every game we come across we try and do ourselves justice.
09:04 We obviously go out to win and obviously we've shown that against two league sides already.
09:08 So come Saturday we're going to try and give a good count of ourselves and we're going
09:12 to look to go and win obviously.
09:13 We're going to a special club in Ipswich Town and you know what's not to love about that,
09:19 what's not to celebrate about it.
09:21 But it's a historic moment and we just want our players to go there and enjoy obviously
09:27 competing against championship professionals and enjoy showcasing their talents and making
09:36 sure they do themselves proud and the entire Maidstone community.
09:41 But how did they get here?
09:43 Well, after a strong away tour in the qualifying rounds with two clean sheets and eight goals
09:48 scored, it was time for another fixture on the road in the first round.
09:51 A relatively simple win over lower league Chesham United set up Maidstone's first home
09:56 fixture in round two.
09:58 This time they welcomed league two side Barrow to the Gallagher where an incredible late
10:02 shot from substitute Bivesh Gurung took Maidstone to round three.
10:06 Now as the competition overall underdogs, league one side Stevenage came to town and
10:11 in an incredible twist of fate, Sam Corn's penalty conversion sent the Gallagher into
10:15 raptures and took Maidstone to the furthest they've ever reached in the cup.
10:20 What's happening with the prize money?
10:22 Have you been transferred money?
10:23 Is that your statement?
10:24 Listen, you sound like a good agent.
10:27 If you leave your number on this table, we'll put you forward.
10:33 And so Georgie Lakobi's men are back on the road this week, swapping the Gallagher for
10:38 Portman Road.
10:39 The scenes when they beat Stevenage perhaps won't be repeated this time round, but with
10:43 four and a half thousand Stones fans making the trip up, they'll be sure to bring the
10:48 atmosphere with them.
10:49 Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Maidstone.
10:53 Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest football news and it's a big
10:56 weekend for it so make sure you go to Kent Online and sign up for your weekly digest
11:01 of non-league news from around the county.
11:04 You can sign up, you can go to Kent Online, you can search Kent Online email alerts as
11:09 you can see on the screen right now to get your latest digest into your email inbox.
11:17 And there's plenty more email alerts to choose from too, including all the latest Gillingham
11:20 FC news as well.
11:24 Now we've reached half time but now it's time for a break.
11:27 Coming up we'll be looking at the fixture list for the weekend ahead, plus we'll be
11:31 looking back to the first triangle volleyball fixture of the year from the Invicta Volleyball
11:36 League.
11:37 We'll be looking at Tunbridge Wells' Wrestling Centre and of course all this week's action
11:42 on Action Replay.
11:43 And if you want to be involved in next week's Action Replay, we're taking submissions every
11:47 single day, just send in your emails and your tweets as well.
11:51 See you later, bye bye.
11:52 [Music]
11:56 [Music]
11:59 [Music]
12:05 [Music]
12:09 [Music]
12:14 [Music]
12:19 [Music]
12:24 [Music]
12:29 [Music]
12:34 [Music]
12:39 [Music]
12:44 [Music]
12:49 [Music]
12:54 [Music]
12:59 [Music]
13:04 [Music]
13:09 [Music]
13:14 [Music]
13:19 [Music]
13:24 [Music]
13:29 [Music]
13:34 [Music]
13:39 [Music]
13:44 [Music]
13:49 [Music]
13:54 [Music]
13:59 [Music]
14:04 [Music]
14:09 [Music]
14:14 [Music]
14:19 [Music]
14:24 [Music]
14:29 [Music]
14:34 [Music]
14:39 [Music]
14:44 [Music]
14:49 [Music]
14:54 [Music]
14:59 [Music]
15:04 [Music]
15:09 Hello, welcome back. Now let's take a look at this weekend's football fixtures.
15:12 As you've been hearing, Maidstone United are Kent's final representatives in this season's FA Cup.
15:17 They're hoping to find themselves an automatic promotion place for a spot in next.
15:22 Looks like we haven't got the fixtures on the screen right now, but their opponents Ipswich Town are looking for an automatic promotion place in next year's Premier League and are unbeaten since before Christmas.
15:32 [Music]
15:42 Meanwhile, the Gilles are also unbeaten in League 2 since the New Year. They're of course taking on MK Don's on the road.
15:47 Both sides vying for a playoff pace at the very least come the end of the season.
15:50 For Ebbs Fleet, in the National League it's a trip to Oxford City after beating Maidenhead on Tuesday night.
15:54 Ebbs Fleet doing well as of recent to try and push away from that renegation zone. They still sit 20th, one place in safety.
16:01 Down to the National Southdown where Dartford are looking to welcome Weymouth after their last two games were postponed due to the weather.
16:07 Basement boys Dover welcome Slough and Tunbridge are on at Western-Super-Mare.
16:11 And finally, in the Izmian Premier, second place Chatham had their fourth game unbeaten at run disrupted by Bogdan Richards.
16:17 Last time out they take on Canby who focused an Invicta loss to in their midweek meeting.
16:21 Invicta will now host Carshalton where relegation threatened Margate have ninth sitters.
16:27 Now with volleyball on a national rise with youth teams participating in international tournaments,
16:33 One Kent League is focusing on growth, not just points.
16:36 Let's take a look at the Invicta League and how the day's matches went down at the weekend.
16:40 Five teams, three games and only three sets to win it in. This is Kent's Invicta Volleyball League.
16:47 A developmental league like no other. It's packed with National Volleyball League players and national youth players.
16:53 This week is the first triangle of matches of 2024 featuring favourites Invicta Maidstone as well as Canterbury's teams Gold and Black.
17:01 The first game of the new year features Canterbury Gold versus Canterbury Black.
17:04 The score starts off with an even heat between the rivals before Gold started to pile on the pressure.
17:10 With clever passes from setter Ironman Lam Roussey, Gold took the first set 21 to 16.
17:16 In the next two sets Black got their revenge in the second and pulled it back to anyone's game thanks to better defensive coordination.
17:23 Winning the second set 21 to 15 but they couldn't stop Canterbury's Golden Boys who won the next set 21 to 18.
17:30 We asked Gold's Lam Roussey and MacMahon what they thought about their performance.
17:34 What are you going to look to improve on in the next game?
17:36 Middle connection and setting tempo sets in the middle.
17:40 I can connect my spikes better and overall get more powerful.
17:44 Now Black had the Herculean task of facing off with Invicta Maidstone, the team home to England youth players number one Jacob Lloyd-Williams and number two Mickey Horney.
17:53 Again the match started evenly enough. Around the 10 point mark the teams had managed to keep each other at bay.
17:58 But with some powerful hits and closed off blocks, Invicta gave themselves a nine point lead.
18:04 Black did well to try and catch up but not before the favourites closed out the set 21 to 19.
18:09 The second set saw no more successes for the Blacks with a barrage of hits and serves that were hard to block and even harder to receive.
18:16 Invicta brought out their A game seeing the Blacks off 21 to 13.
18:20 This time although it was a consolation point it was their last game of the day so Black weren't giving it up just yet.
18:27 Starting with a lead of three points attempting to bleed Invicta of just one set but it wasn't in the cards and they lost the set 18 to 21.
18:35 And then it was time for the decider. Canterbury Gold against Invicta Maidstone.
18:40 Gold had had time to rest while Invicta were riding off the back of their victory.
18:44 The first set was a massacre. Invicta piled on the pressure with strong hits from number three Jack Adby and Jacob Lloyd-Williams dominance above the net.
18:52 Winning the first set 21 to only seven points.
18:56 The second set saw the Invicta machine begin to break.
18:59 The difficult timing between setter and middle was wearing thin but it wasn't enough as the Maidstone team edged the win 21 to 18 sealing their victory.
19:08 This is what Invicta Maidstone's Alex Salmteguia had to say about the victory.
19:13 We did very well. We could do a lot of things better. The timing with the set of four were a bit off but this is something we can work on and also the passing is very important so another thing we need to work on as well.
19:25 It was a long day with many battles across the net and Invicta Maidstone were the clear winners with all six sets won while Gold won two of their sets and Black just won.
19:34 Thank you for watching the Invicta League Roundup.
19:37 Now let's take a look at this feature available on our website.
19:41 Professional wrestling is a sport that has seen a massive surge in popularity over the last few years and the sport is now also making waves in Kent.
19:54 Tunbridge Wells recently saw its first ever Pro Wrestling Academy being opened in the area.
19:59 The academy is run by ex-WWE star Ayesha Raymond and veteran wrestler Boo Lamon.
20:05 The pair run Pro Wrestling Royal Academy together and have classes every Thursday at the Camden Centre.
20:11 Ayesha says she hopes the academy can revive the local wrestling scene.
20:15 When I first started Tunbridge and Kent area, most of the coastal areas were where wrestling was because it's from the carnivals, it's what wrestling is.
20:25 And it kind of sort of fiddles out after a while when wrestling kind of moves into nightclubs and stuff.
20:30 So there hasn't actually been wrestling at Tunbridge Wells for about, I'd say about ten, maybe eight, ten years.
20:35 Tunbridge yes but not Tunbridge Wells. So for me I just want people to be aware that you know wrestling is still alive.
20:42 I want a legacy in all honesty. I love professional wrestling. It's given me friends, it's given me family, it's given me a life.
20:48 So I'm giving back and I'm really hoping that I can get some good students that can realise their dreams, they can travel the world, they can see that this is an achievable thing.
20:58 Professional wrestling is a really fun and exciting job to have.
21:02 Well joining me in the studio now is Boo Lamont and Ayesha Raymond. Thank you both very much for joining us and welcome to Invicta Sport.
21:10 Tell me, I want to unpick your brains, why start a pro wrestling academy here in the county?
21:15 Well we both have different reasons if you want to start Boo.
21:18 I'm from Tunbridge Wells originally so I was raised in Kent, I went to school in Kent and you know I got my first job in Kent.
21:24 And when I started to train in professional wrestling I still lived in Tunbridge Wells.
21:28 And I was just thinking it would have been awesome if back then, all those years ago, I had somewhere to train locally and I think my career would have picked up quicker.
21:37 It's a lot of travelling and wrestling but at that time there was maybe two or three reputable schools in England.
21:43 So if there was a school in Tunbridge Wells back 20 years ago it would have been a dream for me.
21:47 So I'm just trying to make sure that that is accessible for people that want to become professional wrestlers in Kent.
21:52 Absolutely and you said you might have had a different reason?
21:54 Yeah I mean for myself I've come through the era of wrestling becoming, it was almost something together and then suddenly we've almost kind of broken apart.
22:02 I've got my own company at the moment, Renegade Wrestling Dojo in Scotland, which was created after, basically we say wrestling burned to the ground.
22:09 I've come down to Kent now and in my head I think we need to bring wrestling back together, almost like a merger.
22:15 For me, wrestling in Kent was almost very family friendly based and how it was in British wrestling is I personally feel is we've kind of moved away from that.
22:25 Wrestling is from the carnival era, it's from days of happy, clappy kids and you know you want to make children smile.
22:30 But now in terms of British wrestling we've moved into things like nightclubs and bars where it's almost over 14s, over 18s, over 16s and we've kind of alienated our main demographic and our main market.
22:42 So to bring wrestling back down to Kent will open back up that big wrestling market that used to be here with All Star, with Fremont or with John Coppin.
22:50 When it came to the old school touring ways of wrestling, the All Star way of wrestling.
22:54 Modern and traditional.
22:56 Yeah, just as you mentioned it seems like such a good opportunity for local people if they wanted to get involved, youngsters as well.
23:02 What can, you know one of your new students, let's say somebody was to sign up, what can they expect on day one?
23:08 Depends. Day one of Ayesha. So as most people know, I shouldn't have done that laugh.
23:14 Most people know I'm Joshi based, I'm very Japanese trained, also very British wrestling trained.
23:20 So for me wrestling has always been my lifestyle. It turned into my lifestyle very early on in my life and it's still my lifestyle right now.
23:27 And I take it extremely seriously. So I'm not saying drill sergeant mode, but it's not easy.
23:34 It's one thing that some people really do need to realise. I mean it is fun when you see us get up there in like costumes and clap and slapping babies hands and making people smile.
23:43 It's fun, but there is a lot of hard work that comes into this and there's a lot of hard work that some people do and some people don't do.
23:51 There was something that I was taught a very long time ago. There's people who want to be wrestlers and there's people who want to wrestle. You make a choice.
23:59 And I think as well, I think people kind of overestimate or underestimate rather the actual physical strength that goes into it.
24:05 I think I was talking to Sheldon today and he was saying that he was sort of aching after it. Talk to me about the sort of physical side that goes into it.
24:12 It's painful. It's a contact sport. It takes a lot out of you physically. It takes a lot of you mentally as well. It's a very tough sport.
24:20 And sort of to prepare yourself for it, you do have to have a good health and fitness level. You do have to go to the gym.
24:27 You do have to be quite clear minded that this is what you want to do because you can't go into a job like this half-hearted.
24:34 Because there's a lot of heartache and a lot of agony but the victory and the good times, it sort of just supersedes it once you're actually there.
24:44 Well thank you very much both of you for joining us. I'm sure people if they wanted to check out the wrestling club down in Tunbridge Wells, I'm sure they will after seeing things today.
24:52 Thank you for having us.
24:54 Now we've reached full time on today's episode but there's just a few minutes of extra time to take a look at this week's Action Replay.
25:00 My favourite segment is where we take a look at clips and pictures that you, the KMTV audience, have sent in of you taking part in sport.
25:06 Let's see what we've got in store on this week's Action Replay.
25:09 First up on Action Replay, watch as Kent Online reporters James and Max Chesson get the ball rolling on the Whitstable bowling alley.
25:18 Bowling is a classic sport enjoyed by everyone looking to strike it out.
25:22 Ever since the first traces were unearthed in an ancient Egyptian tomb by Sir Flinders Petrie in the 1930s.
25:30 With ten pins and only one ball between them, our intrepid reporters threw each other various curveballs with a slightly disappointing but overall happy end for a very good humoured James.
25:41 Up next, Dartford grounds got trampled by runners as the Kent School's cross-country championships took off in Central Park.
25:49 Medway won the Year 7 Girls and Senior Girls races and Bexley won the Year 7 Boys and Intermediate Girls.
25:56 Other winners include Ashford and Weald with Junior Girls and Maidstone with the Junior Boys and Canterbury and St Augustine with Intermediate Boys.
26:05 And finally, here's Medway student Kristin braving the French Alps on a Christmas holiday trek up and down the slopes.
26:12 It's no wonder that skiing is such a popular hobby with students on gap years around the world and has been for a long time.
26:18 Just look at Kristin here having such an intense but thrilling race to the bottom of these icy crystal peaks.
26:25 Well, that's all for this week's Action Replay. Don't forget, it could be you in next week's edition.
26:31 Just send in your pictures and videos on social media or to sport@kmtv.co.uk.
26:37 And that's it, that's full time on today's episode of Invicta Sport. Best of luck to Maidstone this weekend.
26:44 From me and the team here, we'll see you next time. Bye bye.
26:47 [outro music]
26:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]