Dover Athletic 0 Maidstone United 2 match report: Maidstone keep National League South play-off push alive as Jephte Tanga’s stoppage-time effort adds to a first-half home own goal

Maidstone completed a derby double over Dover to keep alive their hopes of a National League South play-off finish with a hard-fought victory on Easter Friday.

Having edged to a 1-0 triumph on Boxing Day at the Gallagher Stadium, a first-half home own goal put the Stones in charge before Jephte Tanga added an injury-time second as it ended 2-0 to United at Crabble.

The hosts created the first opportunity in front of a segregated crowd of 2,134.

Ruben Soares-Junior rose highest to meet Luke Baptiste’s corner, only for his ninth-minute header to cannon against goalkeeper Lenny Holden’s crossbar.

But three minutes later, the Stones broke the deadlock.

A Christie Pattisson shot from a left-wing delivery appeared to be going wide of captain and keeper Mitch Walker’s right-hand post but looked to deflect off the recalled Roman Charles-Cook on its way into the roof of the net.

Whites hit the woodwork once more as forward George Nikaj’s left-footed shot from wide on the left also hit the crossbar before the ball bounced to safety.

Midway through the first period, an ambitious Soares-Junior strike from about 30 yards out fell wide of Holden’s left-hand post on an unseasonably drizzly day.

A controversial moment saw Dover midfielder Ryan Hanson go down after contact from skipper Sam Corne on the half-hour mark, as Holden prepared to clear, with referee Jack Willmore opting any challenge made by 29-year-old Corne had been accidental.

Four minutes before half-time, Mr Willmore was again in the thick of it when he turned down away penalty appeals as Tanga twice went down under Grenada international Charles-Cook’s challenges.

Whites goalkeeper Walker was called into action just before half-time when he did just enough to divert a