Maidstone United 1 Torquay United 0 match report: Substitute James Alabi scores winner four minutes after coming on

Substitute James Alabi scored a late winner as Maidstone beat Torquay at the Gallagher.

Alabi had only been on the pitch four minutes when he crashed home the only goal after good work by Roarie Deacon.

The goal - Alabi's first for the club - came in the 87th minute and gave United their second National League win of the season.

It was very much a game of two halves, with the hosts hitting back after Torquay dominated the opening 45.

Maidstone handed a debut to defender Kodi Lyons-Foster at the expense Jack Cawley, while Bivesh Guring was handed his first start for his hometown club, with Henry Woods making way.

The Stones had won their previous six meetings with the Gulls - four in the National League, as well as FA Trophy and FA Cup wins.

But the first half belonged to the visitors, with Maidstone fortunate to be on level terms at the break.

Torquay seemed to pick up everything in midfield in the early stages and they used the ball better than Maidstone to create several decent opportunities.

They also kept the home defence busy with a barrage of Dean Moxey long throws from the left.

Torquay, whose manager Gary Johnson was Hakan Hayrettin’s boss at Cambridge in the 1990s, had a big chance with a minute played.

Corrie Andrews pounced on uncertain defending to play in Will Goodwin but Yusuf Mersin was sharply off his line to deny the striker just inside the box.

Torquay were in again seconds later, Mersin with a comfortable save from Andrews this time.

With Maidstone struggling to get a foothold in attack, Torquay had a golden opportunity just before half-hour.

Stones old boy Ross Marshall as the provider, clipping the ball into a big space between the centre-backs to Andrews but he missed the target.

Andrews went close