STONE COLD WONDERS

Victory for Maidstone was a win for the whole community and, oh boy, did they party! | Elokobi promises a festival of football if TV companies show the lowest-ranked team left in the Cup

- MATTHEW DUNN, STEVE JUDGE

THE Spitfire Club sits in the corner of Maidstone United's Gallagher Stadium but is very much at the heart of the club.

Its doors were still wide open five hours after the final whistle as revellers toasted the club's biggest win of its renaissance joined by each of the players.

Such is the sense of community within the entire National League South club that most of the squad who took part in the memorable 1-0 win over Stevenage Borough managed to put their heads through the door.

It may be Dartford on Tuesday, but it was never going to be a quiet one.

Each player who stepped in out of the freezing cold was met with a terrace chant of their name and a glass put in their hand.

Manager George Elokobi said before the game he aspires to a League One sense of professionalism and each of his charges were clearly mindful of that.

But this was a party for everyone.

The inevitable pitch invasion that had occurred at the end of the game of course should not be condoned.

What was remarkable, though, was the complete absence of any malice or triumphalism towards the Stevenage supporters.

It was all just about Maidstone. Players embraced longstanding supporters they bumped into like friends.

Winger Harry Kyprianou shared his post-match pepperoni pizza with delighted kids who had the excitement of the occasion still burning in their eyes.

"This has always been a community project, co-owner Oliver Ash said. "In 2010, a town of 150,000 people did not have a football club with a football stadium.

"The achievement is that we can put on games like this." Maidstone went bust when they over-reached themselves to reach the Football League and became the last member before Bury to be bankrupted back in 1992.