Maidstone scored their third own goal in four league games in a lacklustre performance against Braintree.

Scott Rendell put through his own net to add to Arjanit Krasniqi’s opener as Town took the points.

The Stones looked more threatening after a poor first half but couldn’t find a way back.

Maidstone made three changes from Saturday’s FA Trophy win over Dorking.

With Noah Chesmain dropped, it meant a reshuffle in defence with Jaydn Mundle-Smith shifted to left-back, Gavin Hoyte moved into central defence and Charlie Seaman playing right-back.

Whether that was too much disruption in the back four, who knows, but Maidstone - also missing the threat of Joan Luque - simply weren’t at it in the first half.

The visitors had something to do with that, for what they lacked in quality, they more than made up for in work rate, swarming all over Maidstone and giving them no time on the ball.

They also knew how to waste time but they could hardly be blamed for that.

United, playing against the wind, carved out one chance in the whole of the first half.

And it came at 1-0 down, with Rendell feeding George Porter, who looked set to score, only for Jack Giddens to make the block.

Braintree’s free-kick opener came in the 18th minute following a foul by Mundle-Smith on Johnville Renee on the edge of the area.

Krasniqi stepped up and bent the ball around the wall and out of Ravan Constable’s reach.

The Iron added to their lead on 31 minutes, with Rendell nodding Matthew Johnson’s giant long throw into his own net.

That followed own goals from George Elokobi and Chris Lewington, against Dorking and Hungerford respectively.

Maidstone made a half-time change with Ibrahim Olutade replacing Saidou Khan.

And he immediately had a big chance, running through on goal from Mundle-Smith’s pass, but Giddens saved with his legs.

The improvement continued, Zihni Temelci with an opening in the box, comfortably saved by Giddens, who also held Mundle-Smith’s header before Charlie Seaman’s deflected free-kick went over.

Sam Corne and Porter missed the target from Christie Pattisson crosses in quick succession moving into the final 20 minutes, and a chance also fell Pattisson’s way as Maidstone continue to knock at the door.

Maidstone: Constable, Seaman, Hoyte, Elokobi, Mundle-Smith, Khan (Olutade 46mins), Corne, Amaluzor (Pattisson 69mins), Temelci, Porter, Rendell. Subs not used: Johnson, Krasniqi, Chesmain.

Referee: Olly Mackey.

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