Maidstone United Get Off the Mark With Comfortable Win at Walton & Hersham

Maidstone United: Leone Gravata (20') Riley Court (36') Ryan Hanson (52')

Maidstone United have their first win of the season on the board, beating Walton & Hersham 3-0 away in the National League South on Saturday - a much-needed response after last week's defeat to Farnborough in the opening game. Gravata and Court scored either side of the half-hour mark to give the Stones a two-goal cushion at the break, before Hanson added a third shortly after half-time to put the result beyond doubt.

It was a game that got away from Walton & Hersham quickly and never came back. The hosts made a triple substitution at half-time in search of a way back into it, but Maidstone continued to look the stronger side throughout and were rarely troubled defensively once the second goal went in. The one blemish on the afternoon was an injury concern, with substitute Jayden Davis withdrawn after only 15 minutes on the pitch with a suspected hamstring problem.

Manager Craig Fagan made just one change to the side that lost to Farnborough - and it was a notable one. Alex Stepien-Iwumene, the midfielder signed on loan from League One's Bromley only a day earlier, went straight into the starting eleven in place of Alfie Tuck, an unusually quick introduction for a new arrival that suggests Fagan rates him as an immediate starter rather than a bench option.

The timing works well for both player and club. Stepien-Iwumene arrives with a debut win already banked, and Maidstone now travel into Tuesday's home fixture against Folkestone Invicta with genuine momentum rather than the pressure of an 0-2 start to defend. Source: maidstoneunited.co.uk