Weekend Review: Non-league Maidstone United bust acca coupons in FA Cup upset

National League South side Maidstone United stunned Championship promotion contenders Ipswich Town with a remarkable 2-1 win at Portman Road on Saturday in the lunchtime kick-off.

Despite the home side having almost 80% possession and more than five expected goals, their opponents from English football’s sixth tier clinically converted their only two attempts on target during the whole match.

Maidstone were a massive 25/1 before kick-off, but with plenty of punters sticking free-scoring Ipswich in their Saturday accas at odds of 1/12 they soon found their bets were down the drain shortly after 2pm.

The non-league club will play either Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry City away in the fifth round, the first time Maidstone has reached this stage in their history and they are the first club outside the top five divisions to reach the fifth round since 1978.

There was another upset on Saturday as Everton (1/2) were dumped out of the competition at home by 9/2-shots Luton Town thanks to a last-gasp winner from Cauley Woodrow in the 96^th minute.

Elsewhere, Leeds United were priced up around 1/4 at home to Plymouth but could only manage a 1-1 draw, although there were wins for Leicester City (4/5), Brighton (8/13) and Newcastle United (evens).

The prior night, Friday, Man City (5/6) beat Tottenham 1-0 in North London but Chelsea (10/11) were held to a 0-0 draw at fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.

There were also draws for Nottingham Forest (6/5) at Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday at home to Coventry City (10/11).

“Friday’s FA Cup fixtures got off to a fantastic start for the bookies with three draws, including a 0-0 between Chelsea and Aston Villa,” remarked Chad Yeomans of Betway.

“If it weren’t for Nathan Ake’s late winner for Manchester City away at Tottenham, we would have had another 0-0 draw in the other all-Premier League clash.”

Alan Firkins of Betfred said: “Betfred traders report a very decent FA Cup weekend with key draws on Friday night, plus neither Everton nor Leeds progressing, though the Whites can have another crack at Plymouth on Tuesday week.

“Man City were skinny enough at well-touted Spurs on Friday, so not too much damage done there, and pride of place of course goes to Maidstone, sensational victors at high-flying Championship side Ipswich. Who couldn’t love the FA Cup?”

Meanwhile, bet365’s Steve Freeth commented: “Bet builder backers would’ve been shaking their heads in disbelief at the lack of goals on Friday night and Maidstone’s surprise win at Ipswich on Saturday lunchtime had many coupons scuppered before 3pm.”

FA Cup action on Sunday saw Man United (1/9) survive a scare at Newport County of League Two after squandering a 2-0 lead at Rodney Parade, yet the visitors eventually ran out 4-2 winners. 

Meanwhile, Liverpool (1/7) brushed aside Championship club Norwich City 5-2 and West Brom suffered a 2-0 loss to bitter rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in a match that was stopped for 38 minutes in the second half due to serious crowd trouble.

Summing up the weekend, Francisco Cano of LiveScore Group said: “Overall, it was a very good weekend for us with decent turnover figures and a great margin.

“The biggest event over the weekend was Friday night’s FA Cup match between Tottenham and Man City, where Pep [Guardiola] got his first victory ever at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with just the one goal scored towards the end of the second half.

“There were also some other strong results seen over the weekend with several draws across Europe, including Chelsea versus Aston Villa that ended up 0-0.”

Finally, Kindred Group’s Sam Farley said “The FA Cup was popular with punters but not to the same level we usually see with the Premier League, as evidenced by our most popular game being Spurs versus Man City on Friday night, an all-Premier League tie.

“You have to think that the lack of familiarity with teams from outside the top-flight is an issue, as well as a general feeling that giant killings are rarer these days. That said Maidstone’s incredible win was a profitable one for us.”

On the continent, there was plenty for the layers to cheer, as Freeth of bet365 explained: “Bayer Leverkusen were 2/9 to continue their great form by beating Borussia Monchengladbach and while they stayed unbeaten, we were chuffed to see them finish 0-0 in our best European result of the weekend.”

Likewise, draws in Italy involving Juventus, Milan and Lazio helped fill the bookies’ satchels.

Away from the football, it was Cheltenham Festival Trials Day at the home of National Hunt racing – and the equine action on Saturday didn’t fail to disappoint.

Arguably the performance of the day went to Lossiemouth as the 4/7 favourite sauntered up the Cheltenham Hill for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins to land the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle in impressive fashion.

Earlier in the day, Nicky Henderson-trained Sir Gino laid down a marker for the JCB Triumph Hurdle with a 10-length victory at odds of 5/4 in the seven-runner opening race.

However, Henderson was left scratching his head a couple of hours later when Champion Chase contender Jonbon – sent off the red-hot 1/4 favourite – was beaten by a neck in the rearranged Clarence House Chase due to the cold snap.

The eight-year-old, piloted by James Bowen, put in some erratic jumping from the outside before clattering the fourth from home and almost unseating his jockey.

Despite battling back, Jonbon was eventually pipped at the post by 22/1-shot Elixir De Nutz, giving 18-year-old jockey Freddie Gingell his first Grade 1 winner.

Betfair Exchange reported that almost £300,000 was matched pre-race on Jonbon at 1.28 and 1.26 (2/7 and 1/4) and that the winner was matched at a high of 55 (54/1).

Finally, there was an enthralling climax to the Cleeve Hurdle as 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats (3/1) edged out the ever-popular Paisley Park by a head, denying the Emma Lavelle-trained 12-year-old a fourth win in the race.

Firkins said: “Lossiemouth was tremendously impressive at Cheltenham on Saturday and is now 4/6 from 2/1 for the Mares’ Hurdle.

“Versatile 2022 Grand National hero Noble Yeats advertised his wellbeing and Stayers’ Hurdle chances by just holding off the equally heroic Paisley Park in an absolute Cleeve Hurdle thriller. ‘Paisley seemingly gets agonisingly chinned every other week, but what a warrior.”