On tonight's episode, we look back at Maidstone United's historic FA Cup win over Ipswich Town, plus a look at the final few days of transfer news as Gillingham's deadline edges ever closer.
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00:00 Hello and welcome along to Invicta Sport, it's the only show on your TV dedicated to
00:24 wrapping up all of Kent's sporting action.
00:27 I'm Bartholomew Hall and here's what to expect on this Monday 29th January.
00:33 They made history.
00:34 Maidstone United knock out of Switchtown to reach round 5 of the FA Cup.
00:40 Party in the pub, fans watch on in jubilation from packed out local venues.
00:46 And transfer rumours, all the latest Gillingham FC rumours as the deadline nears ever closer.
00:53 But before we get there we start as always with a round up of the headlines.
00:57 Kent could be the new hotspot for professional boxing, that's according to Chatham heavyweight
01:01 prospect Moses Itauma.
01:03 The 19-year-old has declared his intentions to try and become the youngest ever world
01:07 heavyweight champion and will next fight on the undercard of Fury vs Usyk.
01:11 He told Kent Online the Kent boys are coming on with lots of fighters appearing on the
01:15 scene including Sam Noakes, Charlie Hickford and Dennis McCann.
01:19 It comes after Gravesend's Siobhan Clark has been tipped to become a world champion.
01:23 He fights this Saturday for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Cruiserweight title.
01:30 In rugby, Tombridge Juddians ended Bury St Edmunds' unbeaten home record in National
01:35 League Two East with one of their best second half displays of the season, winning 36-27.
01:41 After going behind in the first half, TJ's restarted well and a few phases close to the
01:46 line enabled Luka Petrosi to dart over whilst Tom White converted a two point average.
01:52 The Judds, who are sixth in the table, returned to league action on 10 February at home to
01:56 Henley.
01:57 Meanwhile, a try from skipper Jamie Stevens in the final minute gave resilient Canterbury
02:01 a 36-33 win over Worthing and Sevenoaks lost away to Henley.
02:08 Cricket and Kent's Zach Crawley was in action yet again for England after scoring a rapid
02:12 31 runs off 33 balls in the second innings during their first test in the series against
02:19 India.
02:20 Crawley was eventually dismissed by spin bowler Ravi Yashwin.
02:23 He comes as England men's test team won a historic victory against India in the first
02:28 test in Hyderabad.
02:30 It was the first time in 91 years that India have lost a test match after scoring a lead
02:34 of 100 runs in the first innings.
02:36 Crawley will be hoping to continue his scoring form in the second test from 2 February.
02:44 Some 4,500 Maidstone fans made the journey up to Portman Road after tickets for the match
02:51 sold out in just less than two hours.
02:53 For those who didn't get their hands on tickets, it was a day in front of the telly, either
02:57 at home or in the pub.
02:58 I went along to the coach house Maidstone to see the reactions first hand.
03:02 A day they'll never forget.
03:04 It was the giant killing which sent shockwaves throughout the football world and put Maidstone
03:09 firmly on the map.
03:10 4,500 Stones fans made the journey up to Suffolk, but back home in Maidstone, many who couldn't
03:16 get their hands on tickets filled out some of the local pubs and tried to spot their
03:20 family and friends on the big screen.
03:22 Kick off soon rolled around and the excitement commenced.
03:25 A relaxed first half with drinks, laughter and fun, but every chance pursued, every near
03:33 miss and every goal caused a reaction slightly bigger than the last.
03:46 Right before the break, Maidstone had scored and suddenly the whole town had come to life.
03:51 The upset was officially on.
03:52 We've been quite lucky, which have hit the post and the crossbar, but you know you only
03:56 need one shot and if you finish it right then you'll be able to score.
04:00 You'll do one new lead and that's about it.
04:02 Come on Stones.
04:03 Well I definitely wasn't expecting that.
04:06 It's something, well again, especially against Ipswich, it's something you don't expect.
04:13 Going into the second half, the nerves started to increase as Maidstone was unbelievably
04:18 leading a team almost 100 places above them in the football pyramid.
04:22 Understandably, however, it wasn't long before Ipswich got one past their visitors.
04:28 But things weren't over yet with hopes held high and the scoreline all square, all that
04:33 the Stones needed to progress was a moment of pure magic.
04:38 Maidstone had done it, they were ahead.
04:40 All they had to do now was get to the full 90 minutes.
04:43 Nerves, faces in hands, fingernails bitten, just moments to go for Maidstone to do it
04:48 and...
05:01 Jubilation and celebration in the bars, pubs, on the streets and even the town's famous
05:06 dinosaur Iggy joined in celebrating.
05:10 It's the magic of the FA Cup isn't it.
05:12 It's just brilliant.
05:13 Words can't describe it.
05:15 Well done Maidstone.
05:18 I mean it's history for the club and it's just surreal really.
05:21 It feels like I'm dreaming but I can't believe it.
05:25 It's just what an upset for Maidstone to have and the money that will be sent to the club
05:29 will just affect us massively.
05:30 I haven't seen a game of football like that all season.
05:33 To see what they've done today was unbelievable.
05:35 I'm a fan for life because I can't believe the talent in our town is just fantastic.
05:43 So Maidstone have made history on the road for the 4,500 fans who made the journey to
05:48 Ipswich and for those who stayed here in the town.
05:52 Clearly memories have been made for life.
05:57 Well for One Stone's fan who was at the game at Ipswich, it was an experience short lived.
06:03 After video surfaced of him falling from the stadium's upper tier, he says he was kicked
06:07 out and had to listen to the rest of the game on his radio.
06:10 59-year-old John Ryan was celebrating Maidstone's astonishing opening goal when he fell over
06:15 the edge and landed on home fans watching the game below.
06:19 Mr Ryan says he'd had a few drinks but there was no way of stopping the fall and that he
06:23 wasn't seriously injured.
06:24 In a statement, Ipswich Town said the club is aware of the incident and they're investigating
06:29 thoroughly.
06:30 But of course, it wasn't just a weekend for Maidstone on the road this weekend.
06:35 Gillingham travelled to Stadium MK to try and pull off their fifth unbeaten game in
06:38 a row against the Dons.
06:40 Here's Jamie Levy with a look back at that historic Maidstone win and the rest of today's
06:44 football round-up.
06:45 Just 32 teams were left in the FA Cup, Maidstone United being the last from Kent and the only
06:51 remaining non-league side, representing the entire county and the entirety of grassroots
06:56 football.
06:58 But despite the pressure, Portman Road buzzed equally with both the roar of a championship
07:02 side's following and the fire of a sixth-tier Maidstone team daring to dream.
07:07 Half-time was underway and the side charging towards the Premier League football were unsurprisingly
07:11 bossing possession.
07:13 But early mistakes and unlucky deflections kept the scoreline 0-0.
07:17 Stones keeper Lucas Coveland was kept busy, saving twice from Hutchinson and a 25-yard
07:21 attempt from Ipswich captain Sam Moresby.
07:24 The Stones saw very little of the ball but made every touch count as a breakaway in the
07:29 43rd minute saw Lamar Reynolds released into the Ipswich half where he put a clever chip
07:33 over the host keeper to send Maidstone fans into delirium.
07:43 Back from the break and the hosts got their equaliser in the 57th minute from Jeremy Sarmiento
07:48 finding its way into the back of the Stones net.
07:50 One apiece and Maidstone kept the dream alive with their second shot of the day coming through
07:54 a clever cross from Reynolds to Sam Corn who confidently sends it past the keeper.
08:00 Minutes left and the Championship side tried their best to force the game into a replay
08:04 but some of the heroic defending from the Stones kept the score at 2-1.
08:08 Ipswich were knocked out of the competition and the tears began to fall.
08:14 Maidstone had done it, the lowest ranked team to reach the fifth round of the world's most
08:19 famous club cup competition since the 1970s.
08:34 Elsewhere in Gillingham were beaten on the road by MK Dons.
08:38 The duels created plenty of openings at Stadium MK but the inability to make it count sent
08:42 them home pointless.
08:43 Goals from MJ Williams and Alex Gilbey put the Dons ahead whilst debutant Josh Walker
08:47 got one back for the visitors.
09:09 In the National League, Ebb Fleet found themselves back in the drop zone despite dominating the
09:13 second half away to Oxford City.
09:15 The fleet went behind with Andre Burley scoring the game's only goal.
09:19 They finished the weekend 21st.
09:21 And in the National South, Dover Athletic picked up their third win of what's been
09:24 a difficult season.
09:25 George Nkhaj scored in the dying minutes before being sent off moments later, whilst Dartford
09:30 lost at home to Weymouth and Western Super Mare got the better over Tunbridge Angels.
09:34 But of course, the story of Kent's weekend can only really be summed up by the incredible
09:38 win by Maidstone United who sit fourth in this table with the Angels 12th, Dartford
09:42 in 18th and Dover Athletic moving up a spot to second bottom in 23rd.
09:48 And what a weekend it was.
09:49 And we'll have a bit more on the historic win for Maidstone in the second half of tonight's
09:53 show but for now, with the end of the transfer window drawing ever closer and rumours continuing
09:57 to fly around clubs in the English Football League, I was joined earlier today by our
10:00 reporter Tony Mizanchita who started this week's Transfer Rumour Chat by looking back
10:04 at Gillingham's latest signing.
10:06 Well, Gillingham have been linked with many strikers over the transfer window and they
10:09 managed to sign Josh Walker from League One side, Burton Albion, on a one-year loan deal.
10:14 That's making it two signings now for them this January window, as earlier in the window
10:18 they signed Romeo Hutton, the right-back, who's looked very good when he started off
10:22 the team.
10:23 Well, as Walker's suffered not a great start in League One, Burton Albion have been towards
10:30 the bottom of the table.
10:31 He's looking to regain his form and is off to a flying start as this past weekend he
10:35 managed to score on his debut in the 90th minute.
10:38 Unfortunately, MK Jones did get the win over Gillingham and they won 2-1.
10:42 Yeah, not the best result for Gillingham, was it?
10:44 But can't get much better on your debut for your new side, can you, Gere?
10:48 Scoring, of course.
10:49 Now, there isn't long left in this window.
10:50 I think some people were maybe expecting Gillingham to be a bit more active in terms of transfers
10:55 and buying players.
10:56 Can we expect to hear anything more in the next couple of days?
10:59 Well, Gillingham might have to move fast and sign another striker as Ollie Hawkins has
11:03 sustained another injury after just coming back from being out for four months.
11:09 Head coach Stephen Clements is thinking it's just a slight groin strain but he could potentially
11:14 be out for several weeks.
11:17 Here's Stephen Clements with more after the MK Jones game.
11:20 He's got a slight groin, so we'll have to just assess that when he comes in tomorrow.
11:25 It's not a bad groin strain, we don't think, but obviously sometimes you get a nick in
11:29 your groin, it still could be two, three weeks.
11:31 So I'm just hoping it's not.
11:32 I'm hoping it's just cramped up on him a little bit, but we'll have to wait and see.
11:35 Because obviously I thought Ollie was doing really well when he was on the pitch.
11:38 But when that happens, it's an opportunity for somebody else.
11:42 So there'll be a space open up and now they'll have to go and take their chance.
11:47 Now we've reached half-time, which means it's time for a break.
11:49 But coming up, as I said, we'll be looking back at Maidstone's brilliant win and we'll
11:53 be speaking to the host of the Stones Age podcast.
11:56 See you in a minute.
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15:10 >> Hello and welcome back to Invictus Sport live on KMTV.
15:13 Now back to Maidstone because it really was a historic weekend.
15:16 Fifth round of the FA Cup now.
15:18 And on Sunday afternoon, we found out who it is they'll be playing against once they
15:22 get there.
15:23 Either Coventry City or Sheffield Wednesday, the two championship sides drew one all on
15:27 Friday at Hillsborough.
15:28 So all eyes on their replay, which is due to take place at the start of February.
15:32 Now here's how club supporters reacted at the Gallagher when the draw was made,
15:36 plus the instant reaction from club captain Gavin Hoyt.
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15:48 >> That's what you want, isn't it?
15:49 That's you wanna go to the top teams in Man City.
15:53 That's what, yes, that was left.
15:54 So you just hoping that was gonna get it.
15:56 But unfortunately, listen, it's still a great job.
15:59 So it's still gonna be a great day.
16:01 It hasn't sunk in completely.
16:02 Just looking back at everything, pictures and videos, just everything really.
16:08 All the posts on social media, the newspapers, it's everywhere.
16:14 So anywhere I go, I'm getting people coming up to me saying, well done,
16:18 have my boys game me up today.
16:21 I haven't slept last night.
16:22 I just kept scrolling through, just things keep popping up, get new videos being sent.
16:29 What great memories.
16:32 >> And to think Maidstone United was in complete bankruptcy just a few decades ago.
16:36 Incredible stuff.
16:37 Now the Stones will take on, as we said, either Sheffield Wednesday or
16:40 Coventry City in the midweek of the 26th of February.
16:43 So put it in your diaries now.
16:45 But to get more reaction, I caught up with Steve Hemsley,
16:48 host of the Stones Age podcast, ahead of a new episode,
16:51 which he says we'll be recording tonight, about what the whole weekend meant to him.
16:56 Steve joins me now.
16:57 Steve, thank you very much.
16:58 Welcome onto the programme.
17:00 First of all, you were there at the game at Ipswich.
17:02 Tell me what that match day experience was like.
17:05 >> Oh, my goodness.
17:06 It was incredible.
17:08 I mean, I've watched Maidstone for about 40 years, and obviously,
17:11 the club's never got that far.
17:13 The atmosphere was just incredible.
17:14 It's one of those weird, weird times where that was our big day out.
17:18 We expected we were going to have a lovely time, score a goal.
17:21 And yeah, the atmosphere.
17:22 To see 4,000 Maidstone fans there was incredible.
17:25 I never processed the fact that we would win the game.
17:28 And when we did win the game, it was quite weird, actually,
17:30 because I was thinking, where do we go from here?
17:32 A small team like Maidstone United should not be in the last 16 of the FA Cup.
17:37 But as a lifelong Stones fan, that is arguably, well, I would say,
17:41 probably the biggest game ever for us and everybody involved.
17:44 >> Yeah, you talk of your surprise there.
17:46 I was in one of the local pubs that was kind of packed out to watch the game.
17:49 So many people there that wanted to get tickets, but they couldn't.
17:52 I think the kind of feel before the game was, yeah,
17:55 we're just here for a nice afternoon in the pub.
17:57 We'll watch our local team on the TV.
17:59 And then to score not just once, but twice.
18:02 And to come back from an equaliser as well.
18:05 I mean, what an incredible game.
18:07 What was going through not just your minds,
18:09 but the minds of the people around you in the stadium when those goals went in?
18:14 >> Well, as you probably saw from watching the game,
18:17 we could have been 4-5-0 down in the first 20 minutes.
18:20 They hit the post twice.
18:22 They missed a couple of sitters, really.
18:24 And any other day, it's funny,
18:26 I was a guest on the Ipswich Town podcast last Thursday,
18:29 and I was saying to them, you know, one in 100 chance we'd be.
18:33 99 times out of 100, Ipswich would beat us 5-6-0,
18:36 and it should have been a 5-1 or whatever.
18:38 But when they kept missing the goal, and you're thinking,
18:41 I wonder, I wonder whether this magic could happen.
18:44 And then when Lamar Reynolds went up the other end
18:47 and scored that fantastic goal, yeah, the place went crazy.
18:51 And when Sam Corn got the winner, I mean, that's just like,
18:55 that's fairytale stuff, absolutely fairytale stuff.
18:58 And I was in the pub called The Greyhound in Ipswich
19:01 before the game with a few Ipswich fans who I know.
19:03 And yeah, they're very, I'm like, oh, yeah, have a great day out.
19:06 They never, ever contemplated losing to us.
19:09 And it's quite funny watching some of their post-mortem podcasts,
19:13 and they themselves are trying to process it,
19:16 because this is one of those weird football moments
19:18 that happens, I don't know, once in 50 years, maybe.
19:21 - Absolutely. I mean, you've mentioned a few podcasts there.
19:24 You've of course got your own. How do you follow up?
19:27 I mean, I know you told me earlier that you're going to be recording an episode today.
19:30 What's the plan? Of course, you don't want to give me spoilers,
19:33 but how do you follow up with an episode after that weekend?
19:36 - Well, we did one after the Stevenage game, and that was quite incredible.
19:39 We had Sam Bone, who's one of our best players on there.
19:41 We've got Gavin Hoyt, the captain, on tonight. We're doing it.
19:43 And funny enough, one of the guys, Seb, who from the Ipswich Towns Blue Monday podcast
19:47 that I was on, I said to him, "If we beat you, you must come on our podcast."
19:52 So he's coming on tonight. And yeah, I mean, he's got to obviously take a lot of flack from us,
19:59 because they're saying it's the worst team and the worst result for the club in their history,
20:02 the best one for us. We will just try and process it tonight
20:08 and just talk about how magical it was.
20:10 Because as you probably know, last season for Maidstone United was arguably, again,
20:14 probably the worst season I've ever had watching Maidstone.
20:17 We finished bottom of the National League, letting over 100 goals.
20:20 And if you'd said to me this time next year, we'd be in the fifth round of the FA Cup,
20:24 you'd never, never believe it. But that's why we love football.
20:27 - No, of course. I mean, you mentioned last season. The season before that,
20:29 it was actually a really positive one. So that kind of shows you the levels of football
20:33 and what can happen from one season to the next.
20:35 But I suppose one big change since then is George Glicoby coming in as manager.
20:40 He was obviously previously a player. There's just something so inspirational
20:44 about listening to him talking about the team, talking to the team,
20:47 and also talking to the fans. He spoke to a few outside of the stadium as well.
20:51 And you've got to feel so pleased to have a manager like him heading up that team.
20:57 - Yeah, he's an incredible, incredible manager.
21:00 You know, he's one of those managers that other teams love him as much as Maidstone United fans do.
21:04 But the interesting thing is, is that most Maidstone fans didn't think he should get the job
21:09 because at the end, when he took over last January, he didn't win a game.
21:12 He didn't win a league game between January and the end of the season.
21:15 And we thought, well, how can you give a caretaker manager that doesn't win a game
21:19 in '19 or something, how can you give him the job? But the owners gave him the job
21:24 and we all, all obviously were wrong. He is amazing. He is motivating.
21:30 What's interesting about it is, yeah, on Saturday, the coach went into the Ipswich ground,
21:34 into Portman Road, they closed the gates behind it, the players, the way they're used to doing it.
21:38 And George said, you know, "Come on, now I want to go and talk to the fans."
21:41 He went back out there and stood in front of the fans and talked about belief.
21:45 I think the belief he talked about, the players respond to that.
21:49 They must have been quite overawed themselves by the occasion,
21:53 which is probably why the first 15 minutes was a bit of a bombardment.
21:56 But once they settled down and George said, "Look, you're all good players.
21:59 You saw Lucas Covaland in goal. They're all very, very good players on their day."
22:04 And that's why you get that one in a hundred chance to create a bit of cup magic.
22:09 Before we wrap up, let's talk about the draw then.
22:12 So no doubt you're going to be sitting watching that Sheffield Wednesday,
22:15 Coventry City replay very closely. Have you got a preference?
22:19 I mean, it's another championship side, but by definition, an easier one
22:23 because they are lower ranked than Ipswich were.
22:27 It's incredible, isn't it? Some Mason fans are disappointed that they get drawn
22:31 against Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry City in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
22:35 I mean, that's how bizarre this whole situation is.
22:38 For me personally, I would rather go to Sheffield Wednesday.
22:41 I think it's a bigger club. It's a bigger stadium. It's a bit further away.
22:45 What's a little bit of a shame of this round is the FA holding it in midweek,
22:50 which means a lot of kids won't be able to go to the game unless their schools
22:53 suddenly come up with a nicer school trip to look at the steel industry in Sheffield
22:58 or the Midlands, Coventry's industrial heritage and use it as a good excuse
23:03 to get some coaches up there. I hope the head teachers of Kent
23:08 and especially Mason will understand if some of their kids see this
23:14 as an historic moment. And I would say for their education, incredibly important.
23:21 So we can take 4000 people there again.
23:23 Absolutely, Steve. Well, we'll have to wait and see the outcome of that Sheffield Wednesday,
23:26 Coventry City replay. Thank you so much for joining us today.
23:30 No problem. Now, before we go, it's time to remind you that you can keep up to date
23:34 with all the latest sports news, interviews and features from here on Invictus Sport
23:38 by heading to our website, kmtv.co.uk and clicking on that sports tab.
23:43 There you'll see videos like this one from when we spoke to Maidstone Olympian James Hall
23:47 about what a year in Olympic preparation looks like to him.
23:51 Born in Australia, but made an Olympian in Maidstone.
23:58 This year, James Hall is hoping to take part in his second Olympic Games
24:02 as part of Team GB's men's artistic gymnastics squad.
24:05 It comes after he helped the country qualify for the Games back in 2022.
24:10 However, he says this year's Olympics could be his last.
24:13 I think from a lengthy career I've managed to garner quite a lot of experience
24:17 and over the years it's kind of helped me keep a cool head.
24:21 It will be full on, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
24:25 I think this will probably be one of the last years of my career.
24:29 I'm getting a bit old now, but my body's starting to feel it.
24:32 But I'm ready for the challenge and I think as you get a little bit older,
24:35 you think, you know what, this is less about just making a team,
24:38 but fulfilling my potential, whatever that may be, and giving it my all.
24:42 James spoke to me just before a midweek training session at his home club, Pegasus.
24:46 For an onlooker, it was incredible to see the sheer potential
24:50 of the unassisted human body at peak fitness.
24:53 For James, however, every one of these sessions means mastering the routine
24:57 that will secure his spot on the squad in Paris.
25:00 Gymnastics isn't just a sport or a hobby, it's a lifestyle.
25:03 It's kind of one of those things that as soon as you finish a session,
25:06 you can't just switch off, you go home, you think about it.
25:08 We're into the competition season now and that means practising your routines
25:12 that you do for the competition.
25:14 At the moment they're a little bit rough around the edges, we've still got time.
25:17 So any repairs that need doing or bits that need working on.
25:21 So lots of flying around bars and somersaults.
25:24 James first arrived at the club at the tender age of just six in 2002
25:31 and almost 20 years on made his Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
25:37 And it's safe to say that he's become a staple of the club's family.
25:40 I ended up working with James from the age of seven.
25:44 It was 2002, he was a youngster, full of enthusiasm, full of beans.
25:50 The work we've done together, especially James, has been a role model
25:54 to not just the coaches around here, but the club, to members,
25:59 to all the youngsters and indirectly and sometimes directly
26:03 coaching them and mentoring them.
26:05 And it's a very positive influence on everyone.
26:08 So with the hope of an Olympic summer ahead of him, James Hall will have to stretch,
26:12 spin and somersault to the best of his abilities in order to make his Olympic dream come true.
26:18 Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Maidstone.
26:21 Before we go, some breaking news this evening.
26:24 Ebb's fleet have sacked manager Denis Kutry after plunging back
26:27 into the National League relegation zone on Saturday.
26:30 The fleet lost 1-0 at bottom side Oxford City, as you've been hearing.
26:33 And that proved the final act for the 44-year-old German,
26:36 who's been in charge for three and a half years.
26:38 We'll have plenty more reaction on this Friday's episode of Invicta Sport.
26:42 I'll see you then. Bye bye.
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