Maidstone United 1 St Albans City 2 match report: Ten-man Stones beaten at home

Former Maidstone manager Harry Wheeler won on his return to the Gallagher with St Albans.

Wheeler - head coach under Jon Meakes at the Hertfordshire club - saw his side run out 2-1 winners.

Victory moved them above the Stones into the National League South play-off places while the hosts, who had George Fowler sent off at a goal down, slip to eighth.

Shaun Jeffers and Gio Rasulo put the visitors in charge, with Matt Rush pulling a goal back.

Paul Appiah - he made his debut in the reverse fixture - and Lamar Reynolds came into starting XI as George Elokobi made two changes from the midweek draw against Bath.

Raphe Brown and Bivesh Gurung dropped to the bench.

Maidstone had a decent chance in just the second minute when Reiss Greenidge lost his man from a Sam Corne free-kick but Michael Johnson made the save.

It may have been a different game had that gone in but, as it was, Maidstone struggled to get going.

Neither side had looked great - it was all a bit pedestrian - but the opening goal went the visitors’ way in the 22nd minute.

Jake Burger played a clever pass into the path of top scorer Jeffers, who rolled the ball beyond Lucas Covolan.

St Albans skipper Joe Partington, just booked for a foul on Matt Rush, was fortunate to escape a second caution after taking out Chi Ezennolim two minutes later.

Referee Ayrton Hursey let him off with a final warning.

From running the risk of going down to 10, the visitors found themselves with a man advantage soon after, with Fowler shown a straight red card for a challenge on Zane Banton in the 42nd minute.

It was a committed tackle from a centre-back with eyes only for the ball but Hursey felt it was dangerous and Fowler was off.

Replays may prove otherwise but it looked harsh.

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