George Elokobi called for more goals from Maidstone defenders after Reiss Greenidge’s winner against Weston.

Greenidge’s 71st-minute header gave United a 1-0 victory at the Gallagher Stadium on Saturday.

It was the big centre-back’s first goal since his winner against Slough on the opening day and an important one, too, with the result sending United fifth in National League South.

Stones boss Elokobi has preached all season about the need for his defenders to chip in with goals.

He wants them to follow Greenidge’s lead as they set about securing a play-off spot in the final seven games.

“It’s a skill that we must practise,” said Elokobi.

“I’ve said this since pre-season, as a defender you have to practise your skills.

“It’s not just in the defensive third but also in the attacking third.

“If you go up there, you want to try and score a goal or assist a goal - that’s your job - and I’m sure the other boys will take on the challenge.

“How many goals can our defenders score by the end of the season to help the team?

“A defender has helped the team today in Reiss Greenidge. Our forward players have been doing that for us and it’s good to see Reiss grabbing the bull by the horns.”

Elokobi feels a player of Greenidge’s stature is capable of scoring double figures in a season.

At 6ft6in, he towers over rivals and must cash in.

He delivered against Weston after meeting Sam Corne’s free-kick.

“He can score 10 goals a season,” said Elokobi. “It’s about targets.

“Our job is to make sure we challenge our players as best as we can and that’s a challenge to him.

“If I’m a 6ft-plus player, I should be using that height advantage, not just at defensive set-plays but also attacking set-plays.

“I should be a threat. He always poses that threat for us and it was good to see him coming in at the far post.

“It was a brilliant header and a fantastic delivery from Sam Corne.

“It’s about the execution. We’ve got areas we’re going to put the ball in where the keeper can’t go and the defenders don’t want to get involved.

“It’s about the movement in the box. Can you lose your marker, can you ensure that you are concentrating so that when that ball comes, you trust it, you believe in it, you pick your spot and have the right connection with it? All of that is important.

“Those are the small details we talk about.”

Report: Maidstone 1-0 Weston

Greenidge’s header settled a dour game but no one cared about that, with three points all that mattered.

Elokobi said: “There’s all to play for and the pressure is always going to be on, regardless of whether we’re fighting for the play-offs, trying to stay in the league or trying to win the league.

“There’s a strategy and a structure that we’ll play from and we always want more.

“There’s a way we like to play, we want to play to our strengths and I thought we did that at times.

“It was lacking a little bit but we can forgive our players in terms of the volume of games we’ve played.

“Hopefully these next couple of days will give them a chance to recuperate and regenerate to go again.

“But, let’s not forget, at this stage of the season, the big thing is three points.

“Can we get three points, especially here at the Gallagher Stadium, and march on?”