Maidstone United manager George Elokobi on his side’s 2-0 National League South win at Chippenham Town

George Elokobi praised a team effort after a “massive” clean sheet for Maidstone United.

The Stones ran the show at Chippenham, winning two 2-0 through first-half goals from Conor Kelly and Sol Wanjau-Smith.

Boss Elokobi has seen plenty of improvement in the early weeks of the season but a shut-out had proved elusive in the first eight games, with United conceding a number of avoidable goals.

They put that right in 30-degree heat at Hardenhuish Park on Saturday in a performance that denied the Bluebirds any sort of foothold.

Victory sent United back to eighth place in National League South, outside the play-off places on goal difference.

“It’s massive to get that clean sheet,” said Elokobi.

“A clean sheet always breeds confidence into the team, especially the defensive line, but the team as a whole defended really well.

“I thought the front two that started the game in Levi Amantchi and Sol Wanjau-Smith worked together really well and took on board what we’ve been asking them to do, being compact.

“We knew how Chippenham were going to set up in terms of them building their attack from the back but it was all about making sure we set traps and try to catch them out, which we did a couple of times.

“On another day there could have been more goals but we take the clean sheet.

“Defending starts from the front, especially against a good side that wants to build attacks from the back.

“It’s not just Levi and Sol, it was the players that were around them, away from them and also behind them.

“I thought the three centre-halves, George Fowler, Sam Bone and Raphe Brown, did a tremendous job to protect Lucas Covolan, which meant Lucas had limited touches of the ball.

“It’s very, very important we take our first clean sheet because