The Stones kept their third consecutive clean sheet away at Lordswood as they kept up their good pre-season form.
However, a combination of wayward shooting and some excellent goal keeping from Gavin Hopper meant that The Stones could not extend their winning run.
There was little to excite the 180 strong crowd in a scrappy and occasionally bad tempered first half.
With six minutes played a long Aaron Lacy throw found Craig Wilkins who showed good strength to head the ball up in the air and then at the second attempt his header found Gavin Hopper's arms.
Lordswood's first opportunity of the evening came with nineteen minutes played. Mark Vernon released Scott Bucklen on the edge of the area and as the ball bounced up in front of him he hit a wild shot which smacked the top of the high fencing behind the goal.
A minute later, Roberto Corbishley intiated and finished a good move down the right hand side involving Aaron Lacy and Craig Wilkins but his shot was comfortably saved.
Vernon then went close for Lordswood but was twice denied by Michal Czanner and then shortly before half time, Maidstone should have taken the lead. Alex Tiesse did well to get to the touchline and send over a cross which Mo Takaloo managed to head down and with Hopper stranded, Wilkins lashed his half volley wide.
A minute after the break it looked as if Mo Takaloo had finally broken the deadlock when he turned just inside the box and shot across the face of goal but his effort took a slight deflection which took the ball wide.
Hopper then managed to parry a fierce Simon Austin drive and then on sixty six minutes the Lordswood keeper made an even better save as he stopped substitue Mario McNish's header from close range.
Then with only eight minutes remaining Tiesse found
Takaloo unmarked inside the box but Hopper was quick
to react and he saved Takaloo's shot with his legs.



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