Having watched Salisbury beat Canvey Island in the Trophy a few years ago, I knew that the difference in leagues would make no difference in a cup game like this one. However Maidstone were left facing an uphill battle after conceding in the first minute. Matt Tubbs took the ball down the right wing and it seemed like every yellow shirt was chasing the ball like a primary school match. Tubbs played a cross to the centre of the penalty area where Bradley Gray had been left completely unmarked. He had time to take the ball down, take aim and fire a shot into the top of the net.
Salisbury continued to press throughout the first quarter with Tubbs firing a freekick over the bar and several corners putting Maidstone under pressure. They rarely took the ball out of their half and when they managed to get this far the move would break down as Salisbury were quickly back to cover.
The main turning point in the match came after 25 minutes. Tubbs received the ball on the halfway line with his back to the Maidstone goal. Before he had time to turn, a two footed tackle brought him down from behind. He got up and reacted badly to the challenge, perhaps unsurprising given the potential for injury. He got into a scuffle with the player who had tackled him and players from both sides rushed in to support their team mate. I was convinced that Tubbs would be sent off for his reaction but once the referee and assistant restored calm he was only shown a yellow card. Maidstone were reduced to ten as the original tackle was punished.
This seemed to focus their play and they created a couple of chances before the end of the half. One effort from a freekick appeared to be heading into the net before a Maidstone player decided to flick it on and ended up deflecting the ball over the bar.
Salisbury extended their lead on 51 minutes. Clarke took the ball into the penalty area and hit a shot from the left of the box. The keeper got down well to save the ball but couldn't hang onto the ball and it span to his right. Tubbs got to the ball before a defender and tapped it in from a yard out.
In the 65th minute Tubbs should have added a third goal after he took the ball round the keeper. Instead of hitting the ball straight away into the unguarded net he paused to try and play it safe which allowed the defence to get back and clear the ball. In the 74th minute Tubbs went through on the right side, passed the ball to the middle and from there it was passed to Gray on the left side. He took aim but hit his shot directly at the goalkeeper.
Salisbury were using both wings and playing the ball from side to side to stretch the Maidstone defence and tire them out. Flood came on as a substitute and had two good chances to score. In the 83rd minute he put a shot over the bar and in the 86th minute he placed a header just wide. Maidstone had a late chance with a shot just over the bar that Bittner had covered. A straightforward win for the Whites.
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