CHIPPENHAM Town’s dreams of joining professional clubs in the first round proper of the FA Cup ended as they were bested by Maidstone United at Hardenhuish Park his afternoon.

There was to be no upset for Mark Collier’s men and no added incentive to tune in to Monday night’s first round draw as a first-half penalty contributed to seeing off a spirited Bluebirds, leaving in-form National League outfit Maidstone to dream of a memorable tie in two weeks’ time.

The hosts were first to threaten through young full-back Scott Bevan, who chested the ball down following a cleared Bluebirds corner before hitting a dipping volley that had to be beaten away by goalie Lee Worgan.

Andy Sandell’s free-kick drew a comfortable save from Stones stopper Worgan but on the 20-minute mark, the visitors almost netted with their first attack of note.

Winger Matt Bodkin cut inside and after playing a one-two with Jack Paxman, his deft attempted deflected inches wide of the net off the foot of a despairing Iain Harvey.

Shortly afterwards, opposite wideman Alex Osborn knocked the ball past two challenges before side-footing goalwards but his shot lacked the requisite power to trouble Kent Kauppinen as Maidstone began to display their quality.

Bodkin’s set-piece delivery from the left flank was headed just over the Chippenham bar as teammates Jay May and Manny Parry both challenged for the ball and then five minutes before the break, the Stones did strike the first blow.

After Greg Tindle’s vital header had cleared a corner, Osborn looked to control the ball just inside the area but went down over the outstretched leg of Bevan, allowing striker May to stroke home the resultant spot-kick.

Maidstone turned the screw in the opening stages of the second half, goalscorer May heading straight into the arms of Kauppinen from a Bodkin delivery.

Up the other end, despite being fouled in the process, Sandell passed to Ashan Holgate and when the ball was laid off by Mark Preece to Harvey, the midfielder’s strike was well off-target.

With around 25 minutes to go, the ball fell to Chippenham substitute Ryan Campbell at the far post but the midfielder could only flash his effort across the face of the Stones goal.

Five minutes later came the drama.

First, a poor Bluebirds corner was seized upon by the visitors and they broke on the counter, setting May racing clear in the blink of an eye.

Rather than go for goal, the striker knocked the ball to his left and went down over the challenge of keeper Kauppinen, with referee Richard Hulme pointing to the spot once again.

But Kauppinen, who had been booked for conceding the spot-kick, produced a fine diving save to his right to keep out May’s second penalty of the afternoon.

With Conor McCormack injured and Chippenham having used all their substitutions, the home side were down to ten men and that soon became nine after the Stones broke on the counter again.

This time, winger Osborn had a free run on goal and as the last man, Tindle had no choice but to make a sliding last-ditch challenge from behind but despite protesting his innocence, the match official was unmoved as he reached straight for a red card.

That wasn’t to say that the Bluebirds’ goose was cooked however as a late Sandell corner was met by the head of Oli Taylor but keeper Worgan somehow scrambled away his low effort.

But despite some late pressure, Maidstone rubbed some late salt in the wounds as May curled a ball around the corner to play in Bobby-Joe Taylor.

The Stones substitute jinked this way and that as Sandell and Preece did their best to narrow the angle but they couldn’t prevent him from firing in a last-gasp second for the victorious visitors.

CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Kent Kauppinen, Conor McCormack, Scott Bevan, Iain Harvey (Alioune Diouf 59), Greg Tindle (C), Mark Preece, Alex Ferguson (Ryan Campbell 50), Matt Smith, Ashan Holgate, Andy Sandell, James Guthrie (Oli Taylor 65).

Subs not used: Matt Jones, Jon Beeden, Josh Lax.

Attendance: 811