Manager George Elokobi hopes the return of Maidstone skipper Sam Corne will help allow himself and assistant Craig Fagan to give their voices a rest.

Corne and fellow midfielder Jordan Higgs started together for just the second time this season in a competitive match as the Stones battled to a 1-0 FA Cup third qualifying round win at Isthmian South East Herne Bay last weekend.

Summer recruit Higgs, who came off the bench in last month’s 2-2 league draw against Chesham, had not started since he sustained an ankle injury on the opening day of the campaign while Corne also took a whack on his ankle in a 1-0 defeat to Weston-super-Mare at the end of August.

But the duo led well from the engine room at Herne Bay - much to Elokobi’s delight - as Maidstone set about going some way to replicating last term’s record-breaking run to the last-16.

Elokobi said: “Have we lacked that [leadership] a little bit at times? Yeah.

“We don’t want everything to be coming from the management team in the technical area. We want our players to manage it right on the pitch. They did just that on Saturday.

“They (Corne and Higgs) are in the heart of the midfield area and managed their team-mates well. You could see Sam Corne out there, making sure that, when he needed to raise his voice, everyone heard him.

Report: Herne Bay 0-1 Maidstone

Stones manager on FA Cup win

“He was precise and he was clear, which gave myself and Craig a chance to rest our voices.

“We have been at it from pre-season up until now. That’s why it’s important that we look at those leadership qualities.

“If we have got 11 leaders out there, it makes the job easier in terms of game management and execution.”

Alexis Andre Jr kept his fourth clean sheet this campaign at Herne Bay.

Having had little to do for much of the tie, he made a fine fingertip save to deny home substitute Josh Reid late on and dealt with injury-time pressure, which saw Bay chuck bodies forward in pursuit of an equaliser.

“I thought he was calm on Saturday,” said Elokobi.

“Alexis Andre has been immense. He has come in, made some sublime saves in the last couple of games and he has been very steady.

“It’s important that, from every game, we look at the key moments. When called upon, he has stood firm and kept us in games.

“It was a dominant performance in terms of possession on Saturday. However, when he was called upon in the last five minutes, he kept the defensive line very calm and composed, and we managed to see out the game.

“I’ve been really delighted with Alexis’ performances.”

A crowd of 1,997 was Herne Bay’s biggest since 1970. That attendance was bolstered by a huge away contingent, who made the journey across the county to get behind the side once again.

Elokobi said: “Our supporters are some of the best supporters in the country.

“We understand that, on days like this, we need them to come out and support Maidstone but, at the same time, credit to Herne Bay’s supporters.

"They have come out to support Herne Bay, as well - win, draw or lose. That’s what we do as a football club and as a community.

“We saw it last season when we went to lower opposition and took thousands there. That’s what we did on Saturday again.

“Thank you to the Maidstone United supporters.”

United return to National League South matters at Worthing on Saturday.

The Rebels came close to winning promotion last term, losing 4-3 in the play-off final to Braintree after they had knocked Maidstone out 2-1 at the semi-final stage.

Both teams have had indifferent starts this time around but Elokobi warned: “Every game is tough.

“Now, we just need to get the players recovered and then see what the week brings.”

Maidstone have been handed an FA Cup fourth qualifying round derby at home to struggling National League side Ebbsfleet next Saturday.