Maidstone moved into the National League play-off places after thrashing Macclesfield at Moss Rose.

The Silkmen started the day above Jay Saunders’ side but were put to the sword by Zavon Hines’ double, Alex Wynter and Joe Pigott as United opened up a 4-0 lead.

Macclesfield replied through Koby Arthur but the visitors are up to seventh place following a third win in a row and another excellent performance.

Maidstone made two enforced changes to the side who won at Eastleigh on Tuesday night, Seth Twumasi in for Josh Hare (groin) while Johan ter Horst replaced Delano Sam-Yorke.

Twumasi had the bit between his teeth at right-back, making a couple of key early interceptions and challenges and looking very much a player determined to take his chance, also a threat going forward.

With Stuart Lewis driving on the side from midfield, Maidstone were soon on top against a Silkmen side who ended the visitors’ nine-match unbeaten run here last season.

Stones led in the 11th minute with Hines on target for the third game running.

It was another good strike from the in-form forward, drilling home from 20 yards after Pigott challenged for a ball on the edge of the area.

Ter Horst sent a diving header wide from a nice Twumasi cross soon after as Maidstone looked to build on their early lead.

The second goal followed in the 24th minute.

Pigott did well in the build-up, holding up play before finding Joe Anderson whose cross was met by ter Horst, with keeper Shwan Jalal touching the ball behind for a corner.

Hines played it short to Jai Reason and after ter Horst had a swing and a miss from the cross, Wynter stabbed home the loose ball.

The home crowd were starting to get restless and Macclesfield, easy on the eye but not much of a threat, showed little sign of getting back into the game against a confident Stones outfit.

It might even have been three after Lewis won possession and fed Reason, whose cross was headed inches over by Pigott.

You’d expect a second-half reaction from Macclesfield and they were more in the game but you can only praise United’s professionlim in keeping them away from Lee Worgan’s goal.

The chance was there to break as Macc pushed on and Maidstone went close when Hines squared for Reason across the six-yard box.

Macclesfield had just taken off left-back David Fitzpatrick when Maidstone added a third down that side in the 66th minute, the ball arriving at the feet of Hines whose deflected strike from just inside the area flew past Jalal.

It got even better for United when Pigott made it four in the 74th minute, squeezing the ball past the embarrassed Jalal at his near post, a goal that had Macclesfield fans heading for the exits.

Gime Toure had a penalty appeal turned down but Macclesfield were on the scoresheet in the 79th minute when Elliott Durrell squared for Arthur, who sidefooted home.

Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Anderson (Finney 79mins), Okuonghae, Anderson, Lewis, Prestedge, Reason (Paxman 75mins), ter Horst (Richards 73mins), Pigott, Hines. Subs not used: Taylor, Sodeinde.

Attendance: 1,347 (122 away).