A late goal denied Maidstone a memorable draw in front of almost 5,000 fans at Tranmere on Saturday.

Stones were on course for a point after Alex Flisher cancelled out Andy Cook’s first-half opener.

But the National League leaders extended their 100% start to five matches when Steve McNulty struck from a corner in the 81st minute.

As expected, an excellent Rovers side dominated possession but were patient with the ball rather than battering the visitors and found themselves largely restricted to half-chances in the opening 45 minutes.

United, on the other hand, struggled to keep the ball early on but did threaten towards the end of the first half when able to string a few passes together.

Indeed the game was goalless when Ben Greenhalgh rolled the ball inches wide of Scott Davies’ goal after a lovely one-touch move around the edge of the box involving Jack Evans, Tom Murphy and Flisher.

With Anthony Acheampong and Kevin Lokko defending superbly, Rovers resorted to strikes from distance with Lee Worgan making a flying save from the impressive Lois Maynard but watching several other efforts miss the target, including one from Jay Harris.

Giant Rovers centre-half McNulty - no one will get much change out of him this season - might have done better with an early header from a corner while Worgan tipped over well from goalscorer Cook after the ball broke off Lokko in the box, then Greenhalgh blocked on the line from Maynard as Rovers put on the pressure.

Jack Paxman was well up for the game - throwing himself into tackles, and getting himself a talking-to - but as the half wore on he started to get on the ball in the Tranmere half, as did Bobby-Joe Taylor, who fired over from distance.

Shortly after the Greenhalgh chance Maidstone were behind.

Maynard was once again involved before the ball found Cook who worked room to beat Worgan from the left of the area in the 41st minute.

Tranmere were on the attack early in the second half, James Norwood grazing the post from a corner before Lokko headed off the line from Cook.

But, out of nowhere, Maidstone were level on 62 minutes.

Taylor’s lovely pass picked out the run of Flisher down the left and he drilled the ball across Davies and into the far corner.

Maidstone enjoyed a good spell after the goal, with 200 or so away fans loving every minute, Taylor agonisingly close to meeting Greenhalgh’s ball to the back post.

Lee Vaughan went close and Worgan denied Norwood at the near post from a nice Stephen Jennings pass as Tranmere threatened a second.

Rovers went back in front nine minutes from time, crowd favourite McNulty pouncing after Worgan flapped at Jennings’ corner.

Worgan went up for a couple of late corners as Stones pushed for an equaliser while Dan Sweeney’s header hit the bar, albeit with the linesman’s flag up.

Tranmere: Davies, Vaughan, S Jennings, McNulty, Ihiewke, Harris, Cook, Norwood (Mekki 90mins), C Jennings (Kirby 73mins), Maynard, Hughes. Subs not used: Ridehalgh, Turner, Stephenson.

Maidstone: Worgan, Evans, Mills, Acheampong, Lokko, Rogers (Sweeney 84mins), Murphy (Dumaka 57mins), Paxman, Flisher, Greenhalgh, Taylor. Subs not used: Coyle, Karagiannis, Hall-Johnson.

Attendance: 4,797 (202 from Maidstone).