George Elokobi encouraged his team, dubbed the “history makers”, to savor their remarkable accomplishment as Maidstone United advanced to the FA Cup fifth round for the first time.
The team from the National League South emerged victorious in their seventh game of the current season’s tournament, eliminating Ipswich at Portman Road.
Maidstone’s manager, Elokobi, expressed sincere gratitude to Ipswich for their incredible support. The Maidstone team made history today and it was a close match, but ultimately someone had to come out victorious. We were fortunate to have the gods on our side.
“After 25 minutes, we had to work hard for our success. We were aware that we would not have many opportunities in this setting. We understood that achieving a positive outcome here would require significant effort.”
“We displayed resilience for 98 minutes. I told them, ‘Go out there and savor the moment.’ They had already made history and deserve all the credit today. We have made history, and the enchantment of the FA Cup is present.”
The ex-Wolves player stated: “No one thought we could achieve this surprise victory against the formidable Ipswich team. Our boys had to have faith and give their all. We will savor this moment because they have made history. It’s simply unprecedented.”
Maidstone has defeated opponents from the Championship, League One, and League Two in their journey, but Elokobi hopes for a chance to face a Premier League team in Sunday’s fifth-round draw.
“Our main focus for the football club is to secure financial benefits, but now we are also hoping to be selected to play away against a Premier League team,” stated the speaker. “This would provide our fans with another memorable experience and I’m confident that they will eagerly purchase tickets. We are simply going to savor this moment and await the draw.”
The team from Maidstone was jolted awake by two fire alarms on Friday night while staying at their hotel. However, their coach made a lighthearted remark, suggesting that it was just Ipswich fans who were feeling frightened.
Elokobi stated that when they were matched against Ipswich, he believed that if it was their final chance to perform, they would do it with excellence. He emphasized the importance of having faith in all aspects of life. He also mentioned that they had a fearless attitude going into the match.
Ipswich, a team in the Championship league, made 10 substitutions for the match. Their manager, Kieran McKenna, stated that his team was not overconfident. He acknowledged Maidstone and their success on the day, noting their efficient performance despite some fortunate circumstances.
Today is not a good day for us, but we must accept it and be prepared to bounce back next week.
Source: theguardian.com