TT PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
MATCH DETAILS
Match details: Torquay United versus Maidstone United
Competition: National League South
Venue: Plainmoor
Date: Saturday 17th January 2026
Kick-off: 3pm
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Torquay: 2
Draw: 4
Maidstone: 14
CURRENT FORM (LAST 6)
Torquay (W3 – D1 – L2):
W 2-0 Chelmsford City A
L 1-2 Tonbridge Angels H
L 0-1 AFC Totton A
W 3-1 Weston Super Mare H
D 0-0 Bath City A
W 4-1 Hampton & Richmond H
Maidstone (W4 – D2 – L0):
W 1-0 Salisbury FC H
W 2-0 Bath City H
D 1-1 Yeovil Town A FA Trophy (lost 4-2 on pens)
D 0-0 Hampton and Richmond Borough A
W 1-0 Dover Athletic H
W 2-1 Hornchurch A
TOP GOAL-SCORERS
Torquay: Louis Dennis/Jordan Young (13)
Maidstone: John Gilbert/Dajon Golding (6)
MAIDSTONE FACT FILE
Year founded: 1992 (reformed as Maidstone Invicta)
Nickname: The Stones
Last season’s league finish: 7th in the National League South
Notable Honours:
National League South:
Winners: 2021-22
Isthmian League:
Winners 2014-15
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. Elokobi has also steered Maidstone to the National League South Play-offs twice in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns.
PLAYER PROFILE – SAM CORNE
Sam’s senior career started with Welling United in 2013 and after four seasons at Park View Road, he signed for Braintree Town and worked under former Stones boss Hakan Hayrettin. During his time at Welling, he received an England C call-up and attracted interest from league clubs.
Prior to signing at the Gallagher, he played for Greenwich Borough and Ashford United – scoring 21 goals in 40 games for the Nuts & Bolts – while focusing on his football coaching qualifications. He made his Maidstone United debut on the opening day of the 2019-20 season and has clocked up more than 100 appearances since.
He was a key figure in the club’s 2021-22 championship-winning season, as well as last season’s FA Cup run with goals against Barrow, Stevenage and Ipswich Town.
PLAYER STATS:
Position: Midfielder
DOB: 07/11/96
Height: 1.78m
Previous Club: Ashford United
NLS Stats 25/26: Appearances: 20, Goals 2, Assists 0, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0
OLD BOYS
Torquay United: None
Maidstone: None
LAST MEETING
Last meeting: Saturday 15th November 2025, Torquay United 0 Maidstone United 2
A brace from Dajon Golding ultimately proved to be the difference as Maidstone United secured their passage to the next round of the FA Trophy at the expense of fellow National League South side Torquay United.
The Gulls started brightly and went close in the eighth minute as Dan Hayfield struck the post with a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area. Five minutes later, Stones keeper Lenny Holden produced a double save to deny Jordan Young and Sonny Fish. Maidstone’s first real chance came in the 21st minute when Lexus Beeden blasted over following a Riley Court corner.
Seven minutes later, Dajon Golding opened the scoring with for the visitors with a shot on the turn, which came against the run of play. Golding then doubled Maidstone’s lead on 34 minutes when he latched onto a flick on before drilling a low strike past United keeper James Hamon.
In the second half, the Gulls came close to reducing the arrears on 72 minutes when Jordan Dyer connected with a free-kick from Young, only to be denied by the reflexes of Holden, who tipped his headed effort behind for a corner.
With three minutes to go, Stones sub Antony Papadopoulos fired an angled effort straight at Hamon. In the 90th minute, Matt Jay drew a smart save from Holden after being sent through by Young, as the Gulls exited the competition.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Jordan Thomas, Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jay Foulston; Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Matt Worthington; Dylan Morgan, Jordan Young, Louis Dennis; Cody Cooke
Maidstone United (4-2-3-1): Nathan Harness; David Sesay, Lexus Beeden, Taylor Foran, Leo Hamblin; Sam Corne, Riley Court; Antony Papadopoulos, John Gilbert, Dajon Golding; Deon Moore
COYY – STEVE
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