Salisbury 0 Maidstone United 1 match report: Substitute David Sesay boosts Stones’ National League South play-off push with late winner

Substitute David Sesay scored a late winner as Maidstone took the points at Salisbury on Saturday.

Sesay, who’d not long replaced Jamie Yila, struck eight minutes from time to strengthen the Stones’ National League South play-off push.

Earlier, Mo Faal became the fifth Stones player to miss from the spot this season, when his first-half penalty was saved by goalkeeper William Buse.

Maidstone were unchanged from the side who thrashed Enfield Town 8-0 for the club’s record home league win at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night.

That was no surprise, although United could only name five substitutes with John Gilbert, who was taken ill during the warm-up for Enfield, still unavailable.

United had a good early chance to pick up where they left off when Yila played a lovely ball into the path of Jephte Tanga, who dragged his strike just wide.

That was the only real opportunity of the half for either side before Maidstone were awarded a penalty after Yila was pushed as he tried to round Buse.

Faal, who scored from the spot against Enfield, stepped up but his 32nd-minute effort, low to Buse’s right, was saved as the Salisbury stopper made amends.

Maidstone’s progress was halted by continually straying offside - they must have been caught five times alone in the first half, to the frustration of George Elokobi and Craig Fagan in the dugout.

United were faultless at the back, though, led by the commanding Taylor Foran, who headed and kicked everything, as the teams went in goalless at the break.

George Penn fired wide on the counter-attack from Richard McIntyre’s pass as Salisbury threatened at the start of the second half.

At the other end, Tanga just couldn’t sort his feet out in the six-yard box after the ball broke off a