TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Maidstone United vs Torquay United – National League South

Venue: Gallagher Stadium, Maidstone

Date: Saturday 1st February 2025

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 2

Draw: 3

Maidstone: 12

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W2 – D2 – L2

W 1-0 Truro City H

L 1-5 Worthing A

W 3-1 Welling H

D 1-1 St Albans A

D 2-2 Slough Town A

L 0-1 Hampton H

Maidstone – W3 – D1 – L2

W 1-0 Welling United H

W 4-0 Enfield Town H

L 2-0 Chesham United A

W 1-0 Weymouth A

L 1-2 Worthing A

D 0-0 Chelmsford City A

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (11)

Maidstone: Aaron Blair (15)

MAIDSTONE FACT FILE

Year founded: 1992 (reformed as Maidstone Invicta)

Nickname: The Stones

Last season’s league finish: 4th in the National League South

Notable Honours:

National League South:

Winners: 2021-22

Isthmian League:

Winners 2014-15

THE MANAGER – GEORGE ELOKOBI

Cameroon-born George Elokobi initially took charge of Maidstone on a caretaker basis following the dismissal of Hakan Hayrettin, before he was handed the reins on a permanent basis. As a player, Elokobi was given his big break in the professional game by Colchester United in 2004, after he was spotted playing for Dulwich Hamlet.

He made his professional debut whilst on loan at Chester City in 2005 and on returning to Colchester Elokobi helped the U’s to win promotion to the Championship under Phil Parkinson in the 2005-06 season. His displays for Colchester earned him a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2008 and he won two promotions: one from the Championship in 2008-09 and the second from League One in 2013-14.

During his time at Molineux, he was loaned out to Nottingham Forest and Bristol City. Elokobi was released by Wolves at the end of the 2013-14 campaign and joined Oldham Athletic. A second spell at Colchester United followed when he re-joined the U’s in 2015, and he later returned to the non-league game with spells in the National League with Leyton Orient and Aldershot Town.

He later joined the Stones in 2019 and helped them to win the National League South title in his final season as a player in the 2021-22 campaign. In addition to this, Elokobi scored in the final game of his career, which saw Maidstone defeat Hampton and Richmond Borough 2-1, to give him the distinction of having scored in every division from the Premier League right down to National League South.

In the 2023-24 season, Elokobi guided the Stones to the fifth round of the FA Cup, memorably defeating Championship side Ipswich Town in the fourth round.

PLAYER TO WATCH – AARON BLAIR

Striker Aaron Blair featured for last season’s promotion final winners Braintree Town, scoring 20 goals and chipping with five assists during his time at Cressing Road. Aaron came through as an apprentice at Dagenham & Redbridge, spending three seasons at Victoria Road. He went on loan to Braintree Town while with the Daggers – a move that was made permanent in October last year.

BLAIR STATS – Position: Striker – Date of Birth: 20/04/00 – Height: 1.81m – Previous Clubs: Ongar, Dagenham, Cheshunt, Barking, Brightlingsea, Braintree – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 29, Goals 13, Yellow/Red Cards 5/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Maidstone: Shaq Coulthirst

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Finley Craske, Ed Palmer, Sam Dreyer, Jordan Thomas; Dan Hayfield, Oscar Threlkeld; Matt Jay, Jordan Young, Dylan Morgan; Cody Cooke

Maidstone United (3-6-1): Alexis Andre Jnr; Temi Eweka, George Fowler, Reiss Greenidge; Charlie Seaman, Jordan Higgs, Baylin Johnson, Bivesh Gurung, Ben Brookes; Ricardo German; Aaron Blair

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Tuesday 12th November, 2024 – Torquay United 1-1 Maidstone United

It ended all-square at Plainmoor, as Jay Foulston’s late equaliser maintained United’s unbeaten home record. Charlie Seaman fired Maidstone in front just before the break, and it looked like that would be decisive, until Foulston popped up with a late leveller.