Maidstone completed the double over Dartford to leave Ady Pennock waiting for his first points as manager.

Liam Sole broke the deadlock in first-half injury-time and Jephte Tanga added a late second after Darts keeper Billy Terrell had been sent off for taking down Mo Faal.

Darts were the better side in the first half but couldn’t make it count and stay in the National League South bottom four after a third successive defeat for new boss Pennock.

United, meanwhile, move back into the play-off places after back-to-back wins.

Darts wideman Brandon Barzey caused plenty of problems down the right in the first half with his pace, trickery and crossing ability.

Maidstone couldn’t deal with him at times and it was harsh on Pennock’s side when United pinched a half-time lead.

Luke Coulson was effective in the the middle of the park for Dartford, playing an early ball into the path of Barzey and it took a well-timed challenge by Harry Kyprianou to deny him.

Coulson’s 25-yard drive, after space opened up, was comfortably dealt with by Lucas Covolan while the Stones keeper was alert to keep out Jordan Greenidge from Fumnaya Shomotun’s cross.

In other openings, a terrific Barzey cross was crying out for a connection and Barzey himself fired wide of the far post after breaking into the box.

Maidstone didn’t feature much as an attacking force in the first half.

Matt Bentley, an early substitute for the injured Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong, worked Terrell from a Matt Rush lay-off, while Terrell came out of his goal to shut down the angle for Mo Faal after meeting Bivesh Gurung’s ball over the top.

Maidstone took the lead in first-half added time, though, with Sole picking up possession and cutting inside before firing into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

The visitors had a man advantage on 55 minutes after Terrell saw red for bringing down Faal.

He had little choice but to come out of his area after Sam Corne’s ball turned defence into attack and sent Faal through all on his own.

Shomotun was the outfield player to make way for substitute keeper Tom Wray.

Tom Clifford’s excellent challenge snuffed out a chance for Matt Rush as Maidstone looked to kill off the game.

United’s second, with Corne starting the move, arrived 10 minutes from time.

It was a well-worked goal with Faal chesting down Paul Appiah’s pass and feeding Rush out wide.

Rush crossed to the back post and Tanga was there to squeeze the ball home from a tight angle.

Dartford: Terrell, Wynter, Block (Statham 75mins), Coulson, Rooney, Barzey (Wall 78mins), Shomotun (Wray 56mins), Maloney, J Greenidge, Clifford, Nelson. Subs: Allen, Box.

Maidstone: Covolan, R Greenidge, Berkeley-Agyepong (Bentley 11mins), Corne, Faal, Kyprianou, Appiah, Sole, Tanga, Gurung, Rush. Subs: Ezennolim, Court, Earle, Smith.

Referee: Adrian George.

Attendance: 1,657.