Reaction from Maidstone United assistant manager Craig Fagan following 3-0 defeat at National League South play-off rivals Weston-super-Mare

Craig Fagan says the absence of manager George Elokobi had no bearing on Maidstone’s defeat at Weston.

The Stones lost 3-0 to their National League South play-off rivals with boss Elokobi back home recovering after being taken unwell on Monday.

Assistant boss Fagan and head of recruitment Zach Foster-Crouch led the team as Sam Pearson’s early opener was followed by late goals from Luke Coulson and Pedro Borges.

United made the long journey to Somerset in good shape, having won their past three games, and making just one enforced change with Tayt Trusty replacing injured midfielder Bivesh Gurung.

But it Weston’s day and they are now just a point behind Maidstone, who occupy the final play-off spot.

“Everyone will make a big thing of the gaffer not being here but we worked the same this week,” said Fagan.

“We were in continuous conversation, we did exactly the same week as we’d normally do. No different.

“The team picked itself because of the previous week and the performance.

“We said before the game, the players said it, even if I wasn’t here and the gaffer wasn’t here, it’s a game of football, they shouldn’t need a manager or assistant manager organising them.

“We go through the details all week, it’s just the fact of desire, they had more than us today.”

Maidstone, trailing to Pearson’s sixth-minute tap-in, had midfielder Jordan Higgs sent off just before half-time.

He was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity after pulling back Pearson although Maidstone appeared to have a covering defender in George Fowler.

“I think Fowler maybe could have covered,” said Fagan.

“I wasn’t sure it was a red myself. I thought it was pretty harsh.

Report: Weston 3-0 Maidstone

“Yes, if it was us, we would have appealed for