MAIDSTONE United and Ramsgate will do battle again tonight (Tuesday) for a place in the next round of the FA Cup.

The Rams came so close to causing the first major upset of this season’s competition when they drew 1-1 with the Kent League champions in the extra preliminary round on Saturday.

Tonight's replay takes place at Sittingbourne’s Central Park ground (kick-off 7.45pm). The winners will be away at Tonbridge Angels on Saturday.

Last Saturday, in front of the BBC and Sky Sports television cameras at Southwood the Rams recovered from going a goal down in the first 10 minutes to a superb bullet header by Jamie Kempster to completely dominate the second half.

A crowd of more than 740 witnessed the opening tie in this year’s competition and Rams’ Mo Takalogabashi and Jason Moore were a handful all afternoon with both men unlucky with a series of long range efforts in the opening half hour, including a free kick by Moore from the edge of the box which Maidstone keeper Kevin Hudson did well to tip over the bar.

Stones went into the game as strong favourites having won their opening three league games, and they started the brighter backed by their 400-strong band of vocal travelling supporters.

After Kempster’s delightful goal from a Paul Ribbens cross, Stones almost scored again on the half hour when top scorer Richard Sinden hit a post.

Yet clear chances for the visitors were rare from then on as Ramsgate never allowed Maidstone to settle on the ball and they took the game to the league leaders.

The home side scored almost immediately after the break when Gavin Schultz followed in a Takalogabashi shot which had deceived Hudson to register a deserved equaliser.

As the half wore on Ramsgate looked the most likely side to snatch a famous victory with Moore unlucky on two occasions with shots that whistled past Hudson’s posts while his opposite number Danny Twyman was rarely troubled in the second half.