Maidstone United KYL U14 Triumph 3-1 Over Chatham Town U14

On 26 October 2025, Maidstone United KYL U14 hosted Chatham Town U14 at The Gallagher Stadium in a keenly contested cup tie that kicked off promptly at 12:30pm. The home side emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline after 70 minutes of action, showcasing a blend of attacking flair and defensive resilience.

Maidstone United lined up in a 4-2-1-3 formation, deploying Michael Mannerings in goal. The defensive line consisted of Liam Rich at right back, Danny Lowe and Captain Eddie Ambrose as central defenders, and Tommy Monaghan on the left. In midfield, Tosan Okomi and Bernie Farley operated as the double pivot, providing both defensive cover and distribution. Ahead of them, Harrison Smith took up the attacking midfield role, tasked with linking play and creating chances. The forward line featured Zane Clements on the right, Zaph Kouassi as the central striker, and Rylee Rodgers on the left, expected to stretch the opposition and finish chances. The substitutes available were Tank Evans, Sawyer Booth, Blake Vince, and Bertie Hayward. We look forward to welcoming back Max Carney to the next fixture as he is still away on holiday. Cruz Robinson was also in attendance providing additional support from the technical area.

The match began with Maidstone United immediately asserting themselves. Within the first minute, Zaph Kouassi tested the opposition keeper but shot wide, while Liam Rich delivered a precise slide rule pass that created an early chance. Harrison Smith quickly followed with another incisive slide rule pass, setting the stage for an early breakthrough. Just two minutes in, Zane Clements crossed from the right, allowing Kouassi to get the last touch to score, putting Maidstone ahead.

Defensively, Danny Lowe was instrumental in the opening exchanges, making crucial interceptions and clearances in quick succession around the third minute. His long pass at the fourth minute also created a further opportunity, demonstrating his all-round contribution at the back. Both Lowe and Liam Rich were busy in defence, with Rich making a vital tackle at the eighth minute and catching a cross to keep the clean sheet intact early on. Michael Mannerings was alert, catching crosses and clearing danger, notably at the eighth and tenth minutes.

The defensive solidity continued with multiple interventions from Lowe, Ambrose, and Monaghan, including headers, tackles, and clearances between the tenth and twenty-first minutes. Liam Rich was particularly effective, preventing chances with well-timed headers and clearances. At the twenty-first minute, Mannerings punched away a threatening ball, maintaining Maidstone’s advantage.

Maidstone’s midfield and attack combined well to create chances, with Tosan Okomi and Bernie Farley providing key passes around the seventeenth and mid-twenties minutes. Farley’s slide rule and long passes repeatedly unlocked Chatham’s defence, while Harrison Smith also contributed with a slide rule pass at the thirtieth minute. Despite these efforts, Chatham Town pulled one back at the thirty-third minute, levelling the contest before the half-time whistle at thirty-five minutes.

The second half saw Maidstone United respond positively. Early clearances from Mannerings and interceptions by Farley kept the visitors at bay. A tactical substitution at the thirty-ninth minute saw Tank Evans replace Harrison Smith, with Liam Rich immediately delivering another slide rule pass to spark Maidstone’s attacking play. Zaph Kouassi continued to press, though his attempts at the forty-first minute were either wide or saved.

Further substitutions followed at the forty-second minute, with Blake Vince and Sawyer Booth coming on for Tommy Monaghan and Zane Clements respectively, refreshing the squad. Maidstone’s defence remained resolute, with Lowe blocking a chance and Okomi clearing danger shortly after at the forty-third minute followed swiftly by a counter attack that saw a well struck effort from Rylee Rodgers saved. Liam Rich and Tosan Okomi were prominent in defensive duties through the early stages of the second half, making interceptions, tackles, and clearances to maintain control.

The midfield battle remained intense, with Bernie Farley continuing to create opportunities, including a slide rule pass at the fifty-second minute that led to a saved attempt. Defensive contributions from Liam Rich were relentless, with multiple headers and clearances between the fifty-third and fifty-eighth minutes. Substitutions at 56 minutes saw Zane Clements return for Rylee Rodgers and Bertie Hayward for Bernie Farley, with Bertie making an immediate impact with a well timed tackle. At the sixtieth minute, Blake Vince scored from close range inside the box, assisted by Eddie Ambrose whose attempt was blocked from a well delivered corner by Zaph, restoring Maidstone’s lead.

Sawyer Booth made a strong defensive tackle at the sixty-first minute, while Okomi’s long pass at the sixty-second minute created another chance. Mannerings was alert to catch a shot soon after. Ambrose cleared danger at the sixty-third minute, and Okomi’s shot was saved at the sixty-fifth minute. Despite a yellow card for time wasting shown to Blake Vince at the sixty-sixth minute, Maidstone’s composure remained intact.

Another substitution at the sixty-seventh minute saw Rylee Rodgers replace Kouassi, with Maidstone continuing to press. Defensive efforts from Ambrose, Lowe and Rich were outstanding in the closing stages, making multiple clearances and headers to repel Chatham’s advances. Sawyer Booth also contributed crucial defensive interventions as the match neared its conclusion.

Tank Evans made a timely tackle at the seventy-second minute, and shortly after, Zane Clements converted a penalty with his right foot at the seventy-third minute, sealing the victory for Maidstone United KYL U14.

Liam Rich’s tireless work at right back, combining defensive solidity with creative passing, earned him the player of the match accolade. Maidstone’s disciplined 4-2-1-3 formation allowed them to control the game, with strong defensive performances and incisive attacking play proving decisive in their 3-1 cup triumph over Chatham Town U14.