Maidstone United supervisor George Elokobi said the shock FA Cup away victory over Championship side Ipswich Metropolis will bind his team “for life”.
The Nationwide League South team overcame a membership 98 places above them in the football pyramid, scoring with their entirely makes an strive as they gained 2-1..
Talking on BBC One, Elokobi said: “There were about a tears.
“I doff my cap to our neighborhood. That is for Maidstone and it be the magic of the FA Cup. We had to deem.”
The Stones, who play in the sixth tier of English football, had already overwhelmed EFL facets Barrow and Stevenage to attain the fourth round and are if truth be told in the fifth round for the first time in their historical previous.
In doing so, they consider additionally grow to be the first membership out of doors the high five tiers of English football to attain the FA Cup fifth round since Blyth Spartans in 1978.
“Continuously deem there is hope and fate,” added Elokobi, whose side started their cup speed in the 2d qualifying round and must this point earned more than £350,000 in prize money.
“Continuously defend humble and respectful and ought to you attain that, you are going to be ready to create a team like we now consider carried out.
“This binds us for life, what our boys are achieving factual now. What our boys are achieving has no longer been carried out over 100 years. The magic of the FA Cup is terribly grand alive.”
‘With somewhat of luck I will web a transfer to the Championship’
Elokobi, 37, who took over as Stones boss in March 2023, had particular praise for 32-365 days-veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Covolan.
The grand-travelled summer signing, a stoppage-time goalscorer for Torquay in the 2021 Nationwide League promotion closing, made a amount of dazzling saves in opposition to the Tractor Boys.
“Lucas was as soon as one of my final signings forty eight hours earlier than the league started,” Elokobi said.
“In games like this, broad games, he commands the box and leads by instance. He has kept us in so many games this season and that was as soon as outstanding. Very supreme from him nevertheless outstanding performances from the total team of avid gamers.”
Lucas, talking on BBC One, added: “It diagram a lot. My occupation in the outdated few years was as soon as no longer very factual and (…) now we create this. It is unreal.
“It is a routine day at the office. I had a huge game. I am so happy I could per chance lend a hand my team-mates. We are in the hat another time and optimistically I will web a transfer now to the Championship.”
Stones keeper Lucas was as soon as named man of the match having been overwhelmed entirely as soon as from 13 makes an strive heading in the correct route
“What we now consider carried out is one thing not most likely. To be in the final 16 groups in England – it be excellent. We kept combating till the quit, our bodies on the line and all the pieces,” he added.
Defender George Fowler, who started his occupation at Ipswich Metropolis, urged BBC Radio 5 Are living: “I will’t deem we have carried out it.
“All and sundry would consider said we were the underdogs these days nevertheless we dug in, stayed organised, rode our success, which you are going to also merely must at cases while you approach up in opposition to such class opposition. But, sure, we’re over the moon.
“I was as soon as here at Ipswich from 12 to 19 nevertheless never received to stroll out in a first-team fixture, I was as soon as extremely proud to attain that here these days. My mates and family all peaceable live round here, so it was as soon as a nice moment. This could per chance be good to consider fun with them all afterward.”
Maidstone ‘deserve their excellent day’
Ipswich consider now been eradicated in nine of their outdated 10 FA Cup fourth-round ties, progressing entirely in 2006-07 in opposition to Swansea Metropolis, the entirely time they’ve featured in the fifth round this century.
Boss Kieran McKenna urged BBC Radio Suffolk: “It hurts. We’re taking half in in entrance of a plump stadium. We wanted to buckle down and do in the cup and we’re taking half in a team a number of divisions below.
“We’re no longer the first team in football to exit to a decrease league team in the cup nevertheless we failed to want to be on the quit of this result.
“We though-provoking the game nicely, we started the game basically nicely nevertheless we did no longer grab our chances and a team we must be more clinical than were more clinical than us and therefore deserve the excellent day they’ve had.”
Maidstone are in fourth place of abode in Nationwide League South and pushing for promotionOne of the biggest FA Cup upsets?
But where does Maidstone’s victory approach in the lengthy checklist of memorable FA Cup upsets in the competition’s historical previous?