Maidstone United beat Tonbridge Angels to win the 2026 Go Cardless Kent Senior Cup but the Final will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

With the Stones ahead through an early second half goal from Hamzad Kargbo as the Angels failed to clear a corner, the game descended into almost farce as first Maidstone were reduced to ten men when Leo Hamblin was sent off before Riley Court won the Cup for a record twentieth time by curling home a free-kick with the last kick of the game. 

What followed though was a disgrace as a full bench clearance ensued after Maidstone keeper Nathan Harness “over celebrated” in front of Tonbridge’s Alfie Pavey who reacted violently – and deservedly received the second red card of the evening – provoking scenes that should never be seen inside a football stadium.

Early on there was no indication of the carnage that was to follow. Indeed, there was a real scare for the Stones early on from the games first corner when keeper Nathan Harness got into a mess but was relieved to be bailed out by the referee’s whistle.

The Maidstone keeper though saved his side at the half’s midway point racing outside of his box, sliding to clear from Frankie Barker as the Tonbridge man beat a very square looking offside line. And moments later Harness was plunging to his right to magnificently beat out Jordon Thompson’s pile driver.

It took until ten minutes from half time for Maidstone to really threaten and did Hamzad Kargbo will have been disappointed not to have tested keeper Matt Rowley from Leo Hamblin’s deep cross.

Yet despite all that, Maidstone should have been in front at the break as Mark Boruk rode two challenges before laying the ball into the path of John Gilbert, but the Stones skipper for the night blazed into an empty Rainham End.

Four minutes into the second period, defensive hesitation from a corner allowed Kargbo to turn the ball home and give Maidstone a lead that they barely deserved.

Tonbridge were aggrieved not to have been given a spot kick on the hour – Brad Williams shot was fumbled by Harness who cleaned out Ricky Korboa in trying to regain the ball, but Mr. Blades saw nothing wrong with the challenge whilst the Angels players protested.

Moments later Kargbo was denied a second by a super block from Rowley who was grateful to his skipper Thompson for clearing to safety.

Gilbert crashed an angled effort off the frame of Rowley’s goal with twenty minutes left not long after being cautioned for a late challenge as the game got very niggly with Mr Blades earning the wrath of both sets of players 

The game erupted with twelve minutes left when keeper Harness clashed off the ball with Tom Leahy as the ball was cleared and play was then halted by a rash challenge on halfway that sparked a fifteen-man coming “together” that saw Hamblin shown a straight red card!

Maidstone unsurprisingly opted to defend what they had with the ten men behind the ball asking the Angels the questions. They were to go close with Naz Bakrin’s header that bounced wide; Thompson hit the back of the Rainham End from the edge of the box and Scott Wagstaff had a shot deflect and loop wide. Even Rowley had an effort that the mis hit wide from a corner.

Maidstone had their chances too in a frantic period of stoppage time as Corne raced clear and as Rowley denied the lob, Jamie Yila shot wide with an empty goal in front of him.

And then with the final kick of the Final, Court curled a stunning free kick into the net, and as the final whistle blew, disgraceful scenes erupted on the pitch as Harness clearly taunted Alfie Pavey who reacted by butting the keeper and being shown a straight red card. Pavey’s actions were wrong but so were the keeper’s actions!

Sadly, what followed was so disappointing as players and officials from both sides converged in a massed scrum on the halfway line – scenes that sadly meant that the Priestfield safety officer announced that there would not be a Trophy presentation despite County officials going ahead with one.

Maidstone may have won the Senior Cup for a record twentieth time, but none of the previous nineteen could have left such a sour taste in the mouth!

TONBRIDGE ANGELS – Rowley, Williams, Warren (Wagstaff), Sutcliffe, Korboa (Sablier), Baker (Leahy), Babajide, Omole (Smith), Thompson, Akehurst, Pavey

MAIDSTONE UNITED – Herness, Sessay, Hamblin, Beeden, Gilbert, Yila, Boruk (Bramble), Court, Mbogba (Fowler), Kargbo (Corne), Foran

Subs – Holden 

REFEREE – Mr. Blades

ASSISTANTS – Mr. Al-Shaikh & Mr. Clark

FOURTH OFFICIAL – Mr. Rowland