Hakan Hayrettin has told how a pre-season friendly cost Maidstone the chance to sign one of the country’s most in-form strikers.

Hayrettin was close to completing a deal for Max Watters, the ex-Ashford youngster who finished last season on loan at the Gallagher from League 1 Doncaster Rovers.

But when he played for United in a friendly at Crawley in September, it alerted the League 2 club to Watters’ quality and they nabbed him instead.

The 21-year-old has exceeded expectations, hitting 10 goals in just 12 appearances this season.

He reached double figures yesterday by scoring the winner in their 2-1 FA Cup win at AFC Wimbledon.

Another ex-Stones striker, Joe Pigott, put the Dons in front but Watters’ strike earned an impressive upset against the League 1 outfit.

It’s bitter-sweet for Hayrettin who spotted Watters’ ability but was unhappy with Crawley’s conduct.

“I knew his potential, that’s why I wanted to sign him,” said Hayrettin. “He was the first person I offered a deal to in the summer.

“He said he wanted to come but then he went to Bromley and Dagenham and when they turned him down, he came back.

“I said, ‘All right then, come and play and we’ll sort something out.’

“He played in the Crawley game and then he was gone.

“They wanted to take him on trial, and he went, and this is the result of what happened.

“I identified him, when other teams turned him down, and now he’s banging in the goals.

“No one expected him to score so many but I knew he had the potential.

“He's got a lot to work on but there’s no substitute for pace and he was very direct.

“What was quite infuriating about it was I know Crawley’s management team really well and I didn’t even get a phone call to say they were taking him, only from the boy.

“Out of courtesy they could have phoned and said, ‘Look, he hasn’t signed for you, we want him to come’ but I didn’t get that, which I thought was a little distasteful.”

Watters made four appearances for Maidstone at the end of last season after Doncaster made him available for loan.

He didn’t score but Hayrettin had seen enough to offer a deal, with the player on his way out of Rovers.

The Stones boss said: “Sometimes you’ve got to drop down to come back up, haven’t you? He’s in the process of doing that now.”

Watters and Pigott weren’t the only Maidstone old boys on target in the FA Cup yesterday.

Former right-back Josh Hare scored for Bristol Rovers in a 6-0 thrashing of non-league Darlington, while Kaiyne Woolery hit Tranmere's winner against Brackley on Friday.

• Watters on Stones loan

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