Maidstone United 3 Torquay United 2 match report: Goals from Matt Rush, Mo Faal and Sam Corne earn victory for the Stones

Sam Corne scored a late cracker as Maidstone finally saw off battling Torquay at the Gallagher.

Goals from Matt Rush and Mo Faal were cancelled out by Asa Hall and Stones old boy Ross Marshall as the Gulls twice hit back from behind.

But Corne, scorer of Maidstone’s winning goal in the FA Cup at Ipswich just over a week ago, delivered an 87th-minute wonder strike from outside the box.

The Stones are up to third in National League South after completing the double over Torquay and they’ve also knocked them out of the FA Cup this season.

Maidstone, unchanged from the side who beat leaders Yeovil on Saturday, made a perfect start by taking a fourth-minute lead.

Reiss Greenidge played a ball down the left to Faal and he found strike partner Rush, who fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the area for his 10th Stones goal.

Torquay were pre-season title favourites alongside Yeovil but have been in poor form, losing 4-0 at home to St Albans on Saturday and an increasing number of fans wanting boss Gary Johnson out.

Given all that you might have expected heads to go down after conceding so early but they hung in there against a Maidstone side who enjoyed plenty of possession and moved the ball well at times.

Indeed, they were level in the 17th minute with big Duane Acheampong, who had spells in Isthmian South East with Sittingbourne and Hythe last season, showing good feet to set up skipper Hall from close range, with Maidstone expecting an offside flag.

Torquay appeared happy for United to have most of the ball, picking their moments to attack.

There were several half-chances at either end while Faal’s cross just came at Rush a bit too quickly when well-placed to score.

A big chance fell Maidstone’s way in added time