Climate change activists appear to have passed on Priestfield Stadium as a focus for protest today.

Gillingham played Stockport County in the second round of the FA Cup this afternoon.

The match has been expected to targeted as part of a 48-hour protest against plans for new coal-fired plants, including one at Kingsnorth, Hoo.

E.ON, which operates the Medway plant and sponsors the FA Cup, has been the focus of a weekend of direct action which ends at midnight.

The stadium is only a short distance from where thousands of protesters held a week long protest in August.

Organisers had hoped local groups such as Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway (KCAM) would lead any protest at the game.

But those members spoken to by the Medway Messenger appeared to have little appetite for direct action.

Kent Police took no chances and said they would respond to any incident that occured with a larger than usual number of officers inside the ground.

Susan Moore, of the Camp for Climate Action, said: “With these protests we are launching an on-going direct action campaign designed to cause maximum disruption to all aspects of the construction of Kingsnorth Power Station.”

Gillingham bosses met with Medway Police on Tuesday to discuss stewarding the match.

Speaking before the game Chief executive Mark Jones, said: “We assess each game as it comes and the appropriate stewarding arrangements will be in place for Saturday.”

Ch Insp Iain Mackenzie added: “There is no reason to suspect any problems this weekend, however we will respond appropriately to any incident."