Two Stretton Goals in Four Minutes Turn the Game at the Gallagher as Truro Beat Leaders Maidstone

Maidstone United: Nana Boateng (42' pen)

Truro City: Jack Stretton (76') Jack Stretton (80')

Maidstone United led at half-time and had the better of the chances for long spells, then lost the game in four minutes. Jack Stretton scored twice for Truro City, on 76 and 80 minutes, to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win at the Gallagher Stadium. It is the Stones' second league defeat in a row, and it leaves them top only on goal difference.

The first half was close, with Maidstone the sharper side. Nana Boateng was involved in several of their early moves, and Aidan Stone had to save well from Ken Charles on nine minutes. The lead came from a penalty on 41 minutes, when Dermi Lusala was tripped by Harvey Greenslade, and Boateng sent Stone the wrong way to make it 1-0 a minute later. Truro came closest to an equaliser in first-half stoppage time, when a Greenslade header hit the bar.

The visitors had more of the ball after the break, and Leo Hamblin had to head one off the line around the hour. Then they struck twice. Stretton finished from close range after a cross from the right on 76 minutes, then glanced in a header from Will Dean's shot four minutes later. Maidstone threw on substitutes and nearly hit back, with Stan Leech's header hitting the post four minutes from time and George Fowler's header being cleared off the line in stoppage time. Stretton also missed a header that would have been his hat-trick.

The defeat, which follows Tuesday's FA Cup exit at home to Cray Wanderers, is a setback rather than a slide: Maidstone are still first, but Dagenham & Redbridge are level on 19 points, and Salisbury and Billericay Town are a point behind. Truro, who have played a game fewer, move up to sixth on 17 points. Sources: maidstoneunited.co.uk, The National League

Form (last 5 league games): ✓✓✓✗✗