Non-League Maidstone stunned Championship high-flyers Ipswich on Saturday to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal and England women's star Alessia Russo has congratulated Maidstone United after their FA Cup giant-killing of Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Maidstone of the National League South, England's semi-professional sixth tier, recorded a memorable 2-1 win away to Championship promotion-chasing Ipswich, becoming the first side from outside the top five divisions to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup since Blyth Spartans in 1978.
And Maidstone-born Russo was delighted for her local club – who will be hoping to draw Premier League opposition in the next round.
Alessia Russo grew up in Maidstone (Image credit: Getty Images)
Posting on her Instagram story, Russo heralded the "FA Cup magic for the locals" – after more than 4,000 fans travelled to see their historic victory at Portman Road.
Maidstone, ranked 98 league places below Ipswich in the pyramid, began their 2023/24 FA Cup campaign in the second qualifying round back in September, seeing off ninth-tier Steyning Town – then knocking out Winchester City and Torquay United to reach the first round proper.
After beating Southern League Chesham United, the Kent side shocked League Two Barrow in their first home tie of this season's competition, before doing likewise to League One promotion hopefuls Stevenage to set up that trip to Ipswich.
Maidstone have already won seven games in this season's FA Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)
Maidstone, who are managed by former Wolves defender George Elokobi, currently sit fourth in the National League South.
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They could feasibly be pitted against a team ranked 119 places above them – if they remain where they are in the league and draw the Premier League leaders (currently Liverpool).
Russo herself knows what it's like to go far in the FA Cup: the Euro 2022-winning England forward reached the Women's FA Cup final with Arsenal just last season.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...
