The 1st round of the FA Cup recently made its debut on a 3G artificial pitch between Maidstone and Stevenage with synthetic surface maintenance specialists Replay Maintenance playing a key part in the historic game.
Following the Football Association’s decision to allow the use of 3G pitches at every stage of the competition, the first ever FA Cup game, which was also live on BT Sport, took place at the Gallagher Stadium – home of Ryman League side Maidstone United. The pitch is certified to the FIFA 2 star standard – the highest rating, and is awarded to artificial pitches that are deemed suitable for professional football.
It was also a monumental moment for Replay Maintenance. The company carries out their Revive Plus+ process on the pitch four times per year to ensure that the pitch is always in pristine condition. The company were also on hand to support the club in the run up to 1st round replay being played.
The Replay Revive process extends the life of a synthetic sports pitch and minimises the risk of injury to players by improving surface grip and reducing compaction. It uses a specially developed, single operator machine to remove contaminants from a rubber infill surface. Rotary brushes penetrate deeper into the infill compared to static brushes, which are commonly used, breaking up the contamination and removing it with a powerful vacuum filter system for disposal off-site. The rubber in-fill is then filtered before it is distributed back onto the surface. It helps reduce compaction of the surface and lifts the pile of the carpet whilst enhancing its porosity and helps maintain the playing characteristics.
Commenting on Replay Maintenance’s part in the cup fixture, managing director Garry Martin said: “We enjoy working with Maidstone United’s stadium manager John Harvey along with everyone else involved. We takegreat pride in all of our work and are extremely proud to have played a part in such a historic moment in the oldest football competition in the world.”
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www.replaymaintenance.co.uk.
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