SUPERB STONES STUN THE SILKMEN

MACCLESFIELD 1 MAIDSTONE Arthur 80 4 Hines 11, 65, Wynter 24, Pigott 74

THE Stones are really on a roll! Maidstone United’s embarrassingly easy victory at Moss Rose was their third win in a row, leaving boss Jay Saunders purring with delight.

Two goals from former West Ham ace Zavon Hines and strikes from Alex Wynter and Joe Pigott made it an afternoon to remember for Saunders and took the Stones to within two points of leaders Aldershot in a congested top half.

“It's been a good week, not many would have fancied us to take maximum points from Eastleigh away and Macclesfield away but we're a stronger side and squad this year,” said Saunders.

“You might say we caught Macclesfield on a bad day but everything we worked on came off.

“We’re quietly going about our business, it’s one defeat in eight for us, long may it continue.” Far and away the worst outing of Macc’s season saw them trail 2-0 at halftime – Hines providing a moment of real quality on 11 minutes, drilling in a fierce opener from 20 yards out.

But it was the Stones’ second that will have infuriated Macc manager John Askey, as his defenders failed to react to a short corner and Johan Ter Horst’s scuffed effort was prodded in by Wynter.

And Maidstone eased their way through the second half, adding a third when Hines’ deflected shot looped in, beyond Shwan Jalal’s reach. Blameless in that instance, Jalal made a hash of Pigott’s shot from a tight angle which squeezed in under his body for the fourth. All of which made celebrations for Koby Arthur’s late consolation muted, to say the least.

Assistant manager Steve Watson was in no mood to make excuses for Macc’s failings, insisting: “From front to back, everything that happened today was down to us, it was lacklustre.

As staff we’ll look at ourselves but the players have certainly got to look at themselves as well after that.

“They haven’t had to do anything to win the game, we just didn’t do our jobs properly.”