George Elokobi took responsibility after Maidstone’s tame defeat at Aveley on Monday night.

Stones boss Elokobi said he’d be looking at himself first after their 2-0 loss.

Ex-Maidstone winger Razzaq Coleman De-Graft scored a wonder goal for the Millers early in the second half and Charlie Hughes added the second after Paul Appiah was sent off.

Appiah’s dismissal means he’s suspended for the Stones’ FA Cup fifth-round tie at Coventry next Monday.

Elokobi said: “Credit to Aveley - they wanted it more.

“They did the basics right, got themselves on the front foot, they had the desire, the commitment - everything we spoke about in the changing room before this game.

“We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and, as a manager, I start with myself.

“Did I pick the right team? Did I pick the right personnel? Have I been too loyal? I have to look at that.

“I’m an honest manager, the buck stops with me and I’m going to look at myself in the mirror first and make sure I review, analyse and then we go from there.”

It was Maidstone’s final league match before travelling to Coventry in the FA Cup.

The players’ minds may have been on that game - “We’re human, I can’t say for sure,” was Elokobi’s view - but there’s still plenty of work to do in the league.

Defeat saw United miss the chance to draw level on points with third-placed Chelmsford in National League South and strengthen their grip on a play-off spot.

“I have to ensure we have a discussion as a group because if we are to achieve anything in the league this season, we’ve got to come to places like this and be hard to beat,” said Elokobi.

“Yes, we’re going to lose games but it’s the manner of how we lost that’s a little bit of a worry to me as a manager.”

Coleman De-Graft’s Maidstone contract was terminated by mutual consent at the start of January.

He joined Aveley as a free agent and showed United what he can do with a superb strike.

Asked if he’d spoken to Coleman De-Graft after the game, Elokobi said: “No, I don’t need to speak to any player.

“I said well done to the management team.

“He’s played well so I didn’t have to speak to him.

“He knows me, he could have come in my direction but he didn’t, so well done to him.

Report: Aveley 2-0 Maidstone

“We parted on good terms, 100%.

“He’s a former Maidstone United player - now he plays for Aveley.

“He has to do a job here, which he’s done today.”

On-loan Leicester defender Appiah misses out on facing his parent club’s big Midlands rivals following his red card.

Booked in the first half, he received a second caution shortly after Aveley’s first goal and serves a one-game ban at Coventry.

Elokobi had considered substituting the centre-back.

He said: “At half-time, I thought should I take him off or should I trust him as a young player?

“We have to learn from this and he has to learn from this experience.

“That’s part of his journey and these things do happen.

“I’m gutted for him that he’s going to miss one of the biggest games of his career now.

“What can we do? Raphe Brown missed the last round at Ipswich for a similar thing.

“My job is to trust my players, and I trust them 100%.

“It’s all part of their learning curve.”