Wrexham 3 Maidstone United 1 - FA Cup match report
Published: 19:25, 06 December 2014
Maidstone's amazing FA Cup run ended with an heroic second-round defeat with 10 men at Wrexham on Saturday night.
United were a man and two goals down early in the second half following the dismissal of Aaron Simpson.
They threatened an unlikely comeback when Alex Flisher cut the gap but Conference club Wrexham finally killed the tie with a late third.
Maidstone came under all sorts of pressure in the opening 10 minutes with Lee Worgan saving from Wes York and Andy Bishop while Bishop dragged an effort wide when well placed and Connor Jennings might have done better with a header.
Wrexham were well on top with Jay Harris and Joe Clarke finding time and space to run the show in central midfield but there were moments when Maidstone showed they could get at the Reds' less-than-solid defence.
Jack Parkinson's pass picked out May who fed Flisher for a decent strike that was well saved by Jon Flatt and it looked the like the Wrexham keeper got something on May's follow-up.
Just when it looked like Maidstone were about to weather the early storm they fell behind on 19 minutes with Neil Ashton's corner finished by Manny Smith off the underside of the bar, although the visitors were convinced Worgan was impeded.
Flatt blocked well from Parkinson in the box just before the half-hour while it was a case of what might have been when Matt Bodkin was fouled by Smith when on a decent run.
Collin and Flisher looked to capitalise on mistakes in the home back four but Wrexham might have doubled their lead before the break with Ashton's cross headed over by Ross White.
A nine-pass move around the edge of Stones' box ended with Bishop clipping an effort over the bar as Wrexham started the second half well.
But moments later Parkinson hit the bar with a header from Flisher's long throw as Stones showed again that Wrexham were vulnerable at the back.
It appeared to be game over for Maidstone when last man Simpson hauled down York when through on goal. The teenage right-back was dismissed with Bishop scoring from the spot on 57 minutes.
It should have been a case of keep-ball for Wrexham but the 10 men pulled a goal back six minutes later with Flisher finishing Rogers' cross in the six-yard box.
Parkinson blocked Smith's header from Ashton's corner on the line while York dragged wide from Jennings' cross when he should have scored.
The home crowd were getting a little restless at the missed chances and their tolerance was tested when Rogers, out of nowhere, bent a 20-yarder inches wide for Stones.
But Wrexham made sure of their place in round three when Bishop headed home James Pearson's cross with three minutes left.
Maidstone: Worgan, Simpson, Mills, Coyle, Miles, Rogers, Bodkin (Brown 78mins), Parkinson, May (Davies 60mins), Collin (Lovell 75mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Jordan, Greenhalgh, Kitt, Godmon.
Attendance: 3,093 (783 from Maidstone).
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Craig Tucker