Ipswich Town, who is aiming to make it to the Premier League, takes a break from their quest to reach the promised land of English football as they have what appears to be a penalty kick in an FA Cup match against non-league Maidstone United.
Ipswich will enter this game on a high after Jeremy Sarmiento’s last-minute goal at Championship leaders Leicester City on Monday night given them what could prove to be a valuable point.
The Tractor Boys were rejuvenated following a dismal five-game losing streak during the festive season, thanks to the national cup competition.
After winning at AFC Wimbledon, they triumphed at Sunderland and King Power Stadium before drawing.
Maidstone, a sixth-tier squad and the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition, will play next in the National League South. The Kent club was in the Football League for three years starting in 1989, however they were out of business after that.
They presently hold fourth place in their division after defeating Braintree 1–1 to prepare for their trip to Suffolk.
The bookies’ perspective on it
Ipswich Town can be supported at 1/9 with bet365, although they can be as short as 1/20 in other spots.
Coral has the draw at 9/1, while 10bet has Maidstone United at 22/1.
Current head-to-head comparisons
The clubs are new to each other.
Players to observe
Conor Chaplin, who scored nine goals in the league, including one against Sunderland the other week, has been an important member of the Ipswich team this season. But at bet365, he is 8/11 to score at midday on Saturday.
In the previous round, Maidstone defeated Stevenage 1-0, with Sam Corne emerging as the game’s sole goal scorer. He accepts the penalties and, according to bet365, is 9/1 to score at Portman Road.
Is there anything else that catches your attention?
The two teams are separated by 93 league spots.and in spite of Maidstone’s best attempts, it might come through on Saturday.
They have defeated minnows Chesham as well as Football League teams Stevenage and Barrow to get this far, but this seems like a step too far.
Furthermore, it ought to come down to how many for Ipswich.
You have to fancy the hosts to cover a handicap of two goals at 5/6 with Paddy Power after Maidstone conceded nine goals in two games at Barnet and Worthing last month.
The same company gives 7/5 for an Ipswich victory and more than 4.5 goals. Let’s also aim for the fact that the so-called lesser sides have contributed to the scoreline on several occasions.
Ipswich Town and Maidstone United will play this FA Cup match on January 27, 2024, with a kickoff time of 12:30. See the best Ipswich Town vs. Maidstone United prediction from our tipsters below. For the latest recent previews, you may also check out our special section on betting previews.
