FA Cup

GEORGE ELOKOBI says they were dancing in the streets of Cameroon after non-league minnows Maidstone made FA Cup history.The National League South side stunned League One Stevenage 1-0 to reach the fourth round for the first time.
George Elokobi couldn’t keep Maidstone in the National League but beating Stevenage shows he is enjoying a enjoying a brilliant first full season in chargeCredit: Reuters
Match-winner Sam Corne celebrates Maidstone making historyCredit: Getty
Elokobi was a fans’ favourite at Wolves from 2008-2014Credit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun
Sam Corne, 27, converted a 45th-minute penalty to leave the sixth-tier Stones as the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, having dumped League Two Barrow out in round two.
So it was a surprise this match was not picked up by the channels broadcasting on these shores.
Boss Elokobi said: “The game may not have been televised here but it was shown abroad.
“I’m sure they were dancing in the streets in my home city of Kumba in Cameroon.
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“I told my kids before leaving home today, ‘Daddy is going to make some more history today’.
“It’s such a proud moment for me, my family, this football club, the fans and the town. We’re a non-league club that has made it into the last 32 of the FA Cup — we are back on the football map.”
Wolves cult hero Elokobi ended his playing career at Maidstone less than two years ago and only took over as manager in March.
Yet the 37-year-old has already established himself as a legend in Kent football.
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Stones’ hero Corne shares his big day in a selfie with fansCredit: Rex
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Corne confidently tucked home the only goal from the penalty spotCredit: Getty
He said: “I’ve always had faith and believed in any project I’ve gone into.
“There’s no magic wand — it’s all hard work, determination, respect, humbleness, transparency, honesty and enjoyment.
“If you have all that, plus diversity and people who want to work for you, play for you and help you, anything is possible.
“This club has won a special place in my heart and I’m so pleased we can enjoy this moment together.”
Elokobi spent six years at Wolves and famously scored in a 2-1 Premier League win against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to end their 29-game run without a league loss in the 2011 title-winning season.
And Mick McCarthy, the manager who signed him for Wanderers from Colchester, was at Stones’ Gallagher Stadium to support his former defender.
Elokobi added: “Mick is one of my mentors in football so I was honoured he came to support me and the team today!”
Despite their incredible FA Cup exploits, UK TV rights holders  BBC and ITV have so far snubbed televising their games live.
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Elokobi said: “Let’s hope they bring the TV cameras here for the next round. We deserve it. The club deserve it.
“Not only everyone in Maidstone now knows about Maidstone United but everyone in the UK and even people around the world. The magic of the FA Cup is very much alive. I’m so proud to be part of it.”
Scorer Corne and manager Elokobi made memories for lifeCredit: Getty
Chi Ezennolim shows what pulling off an FA Cup shock meansCredit: Getty More

BLACKBURN teenager Rory Finneran became the club’s youngest debutant – but was not allowed to wear the same kit as his team-mates. Finneran broke Rovers’ 113-year record when he stepped on to the pitch in injury time of the FA Cup third-round win over Cambridge.
Rory Finneran made his Blackburn debut aged just 15Credit: Getty
He wore a different kit from the rest of his team-matesCredit: Reuters
The youngster, who replaced hat-trick hero Sam Szmodics, got the nod from Jon Dahl Tomasson at the tender age of just 15 years and 312 days.
However, he was forced to take to the field in a slightly different shirt.
Blackburn have Totally Wicked as their front-of-shirt sponsors this season.
The Blackburn-based company sell vapes.
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But because it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to buy a vape in the UK, Finneran could not have the sponsor on his kit.
And instead the youngster had a blank front below the club’s badge and Macron kit supplier logo.
According to Opta, Finneran played for just one minute and did not get a single touch before the ref blew for full-time.
Blackburn ran out comfortable 5-2 winners against their League One opponents to book their place in round four.
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Interestingly, Jobe Bellingham DID play for both Birmingham and Sunderland with betting companies’ logos across his front before turning 18.
However, clubs that advertise age-restricted products and services such as vaping and gambling on their kit sell alternative replica junior kits for kids.
They tend to either have a blank front – like Finneran’s at Ewood Park – or have the sponsorship replaced with the club foundation or a charity.
English teams playing in Europe this season have also had to remove their betting firms from their shirts when travelling to play in certain countries.
For example, Villa switched from their controversial BK8 to the Aston Villa Foundation when they took on AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands in October.
Sam Szmodics scored a hat-trick in the 5-2 win over Cambridge with the Totally Wicked logoCredit: Reuters
Jobe Bellingham had a betting company on his Birmingham kit when he was still under 18Credit: Getty
Aston Villa used their foundation instead of BK8 at AZ Alkmaar this seasonCredit: Getty More

ALFIE GILCHRIST stole the show in Chelsea’s thumping 4-0 win over Preston North End in the FA Cup.The youngster made his first start for the Blues as he looked to put a claim in for more game time under Mauricio Pochettino.
Alfie Gilchrist looked solid for ChelseaCredit: Getty
Mykhailo Mudryk failed to shine against Preston North EndCredit: Reuters
On the flip side, Mykhailo Mudryk put in another anonymous display as he was subbed on the hour mark.
Few Chelsea players managed to impress during a drab first-half that ended goalless at Stamford Bridge.
The second period was much better for the hosts as Armando Broja headed them into the lead.
Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling then got in on the act as they made it 3-0.
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Enzo Fernandez wrapped up the scoring as he bagged in the 85th minute to help the club into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
SunSports’ Jon West has given his ratings of the Chelsea players.
Djordje Petrovic 7
Looks the part. Made saves look comfortable and excellent at coming out to catch. Spectator for much of the second period.
Alfie Gilchrist 7
Home fans sang youth product’s name in impressive first start. Calm on ball and almost set Raheem Sterling up for a goal too.
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Axel Disasi 6
Solid enough display at the back against a Championship forward pairing. Didn’t have much to do after the Preston dam finally broke.
Levi Colwill 6
Switched to the centre after Prem struggles on the left – and given armband. Looked happier there initially before being caught out a couple of times.
Malo Gusto 7
Chelsea’s Mr Versatile in defence was switched to the left and supplied the cross for Armando Broja’s headed opener. Might have scored himself too.
Malo Gusto bagged an assistCredit: Reuters
Moises Caicedo 5
How is this guy English football’s most expensive player? Only stats chart he’s likely to top is most fouls committed. Bang average in possession too.
Enzo Fernandez 7
Tough tackles and defence-splitting passes from the World Cup winner. Saw first-half header saved and late offside goal given by VAR.
Raheem Sterling 7
Threat from right in first outing since the loss at Wolves before Christmas. Had a few chances before the break – and took his free-kick goal superbly later on.
Raheem Sterling scored a brilliant free kickCredit: Getty
Cole Palmer 6
Laughed after missing sitter, which shows he’s not lacking in confidence. Not his most stellar display, not that it mattered in the end.
Mykhailo Mudryk 4
Another anonymous performance from the £88million man. Known as ‘Misha’ to his friends, ‘Missing’ to Chelsea supporters. Didn’t get a great deal of help though.
Armando Broja 7
Needed a goal – and got one. Worked hard with his back to goal mainly before the service he craved finally arrived. Great header and was a whisker away from a second too.
Armando Broja netted the openerCredit: Getty
Subs
Thiago Silva (on for Gilchrist, 61) 7
Veteran defender scored with (probably) his first touch.
Noni Madueke (on for Mudryk, 61) 6
Quick feet on the right from England Under-21 man.
Deivid Washington (on for Broja, 76) 3
Almost scored right away but not much after that.
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Conor Gallagher (on for Palmer, 76) 3
Not much for the England man to do apart from keep the ball moving.
Michael Golding (on for Fernandez,) 2
Midfielder, 17, on for late debut at 4-0. Could have scored too! More

THIAGO SILVA scored his first goal in the FA Cup and showed Chelsea’s kids how to kill off a game.The 39-year-old Brazilian had his weekend off cut short when he was called upon to put stubborn Preston to bed in yet another unconvincing performance from Mauricio Pochettino’s young team.
Raheem Sterling grabbed the pick of the goals as Chelsea beat PrestonCredit: PA
The winger curled home a wonderful free-kickCredit: Rex

Silva had been on for only five minutes when he rose to head home a Cole Palmer corner and make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.
From then on it was a joyride all the way into the fourth round with Raheem Sterling prodding home a free kick and Enzo Fernandez tapping in to seal what on paper looks a routine win.
But as is so often the case with Chelsea at the moment it was much harder work than it needed to be until the illustrious South American performed his second-half rescue act from the bench.
And how appropriate that the club’s oldest player scored a vital goal in the world’s oldest cup competition.
Silva was supposed to be enjoying a much-needed rest for his creaking legs for the visit of Preston.
However, reshuffled Chelsea struggled to find a clinical touch against a Championship team – and not even a particularly good one at that.
North End are 14th in the second tier of English football and now with only one win in their last six games. 
Their most expensive signing is reportedly Montenegro striker Mulitin Osmajic at around £2.1million.
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Chelsea had £115m midfielder Moises Caicedo on parade who is probably worth more than Preston North End in its entirety.
But it still took until the 59th minute for them to find the net through striker Armando Broja and even then they did not look comfortable until Silva put the tie beyond the visitors’ reach. 
Injuries and next week’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against another Championship side in Middlesbrough made for a bizarre-looking Chelsea line-up.
Academy defender Alfie Gilchrist got his first start. Malo Gusto was out of position and way out of his comfort zone as a makeshift left-back when he is more right-wing than Jacob Rees Mogg.
But the bigger worry was that it wasn’t just along Chelsea’s left flank where they were exposed time and again.
Boss Pochettino’s expensive but fragile team was getting done all over the pitch by a Championship side determined to make the most of a big day out to play with energy and confidence.

Silva’s absence was keenly felt and it must still be a concern that Pochettino had to turn to his ageing star to bring the game to a successful conclusion.
Backed by 5,500 noisy fans, Preston dominated the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge while the team controlled the game without producing many serious threats on goal.
It was an uncomfortable ride for the first hour for Chelsea, who always look there for the taking no matter the score or the opposition.
Rewind one week when they turned a 3-0 lead with 20 minutes to go into a backs-to-the-wall finish for 3-2 at Luton. 
Prior to that, it took a last-minute penalty to beat struggling Crystal Palace.
There were chances for Sterling, Fernandez and Palmer in the opening 45 minutes in which Chelsea should have taken the tie by the scruff of the neck. 
Armando Broja broke the deadlock as he glanced in a headerCredit: Getty
Thiago Silva got in on the act with a thumping effortCredit: Getty
But each one was squandered and petered out amid loud jeering from the packed away end as the ball either rolled wide or was dealt with by Preston keeper Freddie Woodman – godson of England boss Gareth Southgate. 
Chelsea finally broke the deadlock when Gusto was at last able to turn on to his trusty right foot and pop a cross into the area. There, 6ft 5ins Broja rose to skilfully glance a header across the face of goal and into the opposite corner of the net.
When Silva came on, Chelsea returned to a more familiar shape with Gusto on his favoured right side and it was more assured from then on.
The former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain star claimed earlier this week that he never fancied life over here because he feared it was all high balls and no Samba style.
Yet his debut goal in the FA Cup was a classic English set-piece as he dashed to the near post to head Palmer’s centre into the net at speed.
That was the death knell for game Preston who understandably crumbled.
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Sterling thumped his free-kick from the edge of the box past Woodburn. 
And with five minutes to go and after much VAR deliberation, midfielder Enzo Fernandez was adjudged onside when he rolled home a deflected Sterling chip.
Enzo Fernandez’s goal was allowed to stand after a long VAR checkCredit: Getty
Chelsea made it through to round four for the 25th time in 26 seasonsCredit: Getty
Preston ran out of steam in the second halfCredit: Reuters More

JORDAN PICKFORD was amongst the former Sunderland players in attendance for their FA Cup clash with Newcastle.The England goalkeeper was joined by his stunning Wag Megan at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Jordan Pickford was in attendance for Sunderland’s FA Cup clash with NewcastleCredit: ITV
Fellow former player Fabio Borini also returned to the Stadium of Light for the matchCredit: Rex
Sunderland welcomed their bitter rivals for the first Tyne-Wear Derby since March 2016.
Fellow former Black Cats Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe were also in attendance, whilst ex-Newcastle defender Ryan Taylor was amongst the 6,000 away fans.
Pickford was seen posing for snaps with fans outside the ground before the match.
He was then spotted alongside with Megan in the stands, having come through the club’s academy before making 35 first-team appearances.
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The couple, who wed in 2020 after meeting as teenagers, welcomed their second child in September.
Borini also met with supporters prior to the match, having become a cult hero during two spells with the club.
The Italian forward scored 17 goals in 93 Sunderland appearances, with two of those coming against Newcastle, including a late winner in October 2013.
Meanwhile, Defoe was seen in Bradley Lowery’s box, named after the young fan he formed a bond with during his rare cancer battle.
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Pickford was joined in the stands by his wife MeganCredit: Instagram / @meganpickford_
Ex-club captain Jermain Defore was also seen at the matchCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Like Borini, the former captain also had two spells with the Black Cats, finding the net 37 times in 100 matches, including two derby goals.
Their would be no such heroics on Saturday, though, as the Premier League visitors triumphed 3-0.
An own goal from Daniel Ballard and Alexander Isak’s brace were enough to see Eddie Howe’s side into the fourth-round draw.
The win is also Newcastle’s first Tyne-Wear Derby triumph in 10 attempts, a run dating back to 2011.
Borini scored in two Tyne-Wear Derbies during two spells with SunderlandCredit: Alamy More