George Elokobi on Maidstone United’s National League South play-off semi-final defeat amid emotional scenes at Worthing

George Elokobi spoke of his pride in Maidstone’s players after a season to remember ended in play-off semi-final defeat.

There were tears at full-time after United were beaten by an 89th-minute Ollie Pearce goal in a 2-1 loss at Worthing.

It means another season in National League South for the Stones but what a year it’s been, finishing fourth, reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup and winning the Kent Senior Cup.

“Firstly, massive congratulations to Worthing,” said Stones boss Elokobi.

“They deserved to win the game and we wish them all the very best for the final.

“What can I say about our group of players? It’s going to hurt, it does hurt because we are winners, but there’s only one team that can go through.

“Our players gave us everything this season and it’s not just today, I call them the history entertainers.

“They’ve entertained not just the community of Maidstone, they’ve entertained the world and I’m super proud to call them history makers because they’ve given us everything to the very last second.

“What a historic season it’s been. We take our pill tonight and make sure we get a deserved rest and then we’ll be back next season.”

Matt Bentley cancelled out Pearce’s opener but there was agony for Maidstone at the death after Matt Rush hit the bar at one end, with Worthing breaking and scoring the winner.

United beat Aveley in injury time in their midweek play-off eliminator but it was their turn to suffer a late twist.

“That’s just the manner of football,” said Elokobi.

“That’s the ups and downs; that’s the positives, the joys, but also the pain.

“To concede at the death obviously didn’t give us enough chance to equalise but we went and created enough chances to try and get something out of the game.

“But