Maidstone United goalkeeper Yusuf Mersin says the pressure was on after taking Tom Hadler's place

Yusuf Mersin handled the pressure that came with replacing suspended Maidstone goalkeeper Tom Hadler.

Mersin made his full debut against Bath last weekend, with Hadler starting a three-match ban after the FA rejected an appeal against his red card in the 4-0 win over Ebbsfleet.

The former Dover man played the final 10 minutes against Fleet, following Hadler’s dismissal, but the Bath game was his first start.

Mersin, who played in the Football League for Crawley, produced an assured performance, including an outstanding save at 0-0, as Maidstone extended their unbeaten run in National South to 12 games with a 2-1 win.

The Stones boast the meanest defence in the division, with only 20 goals conceded going into the Bath game.

Mersin could take confidence from that but it brought its own pressure, along with the Stones’ fine form.

“It’s a positive because you think you’ve got a good base but there’s pressure as well because the team were unbeaten in 11 games before this and you don’t want to let anyone down,” said the 6ft 5in keeper.

“I’ve been here a couple of months, so I know the lads, but in a game scenario, when you’ve not been playing, you don’t know which is defender is going to do what because people have their own way of playing, sweeping up and stuff like that.

“It takes time but, listen, I’ve got three games, hopefully they go well and we’ll see what happens.

“From Tuesday we heard Tom’s appeal had been unsuccessful, so it’s an opportunity for me.

“It was a tough game to come into, the management called it, but it’s the sort of game you’ve got to win if you’re going to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

“Tom’s been brilliant and the back four’s been brilliant. Even the ones not in the team have been