Jack Powell had one thing on his mind when he lined up the free-kick for Maidstone's equaliser against Macclesfield in the FA Cup.

The Silkmen were surely expecting a cross but Powell went for goal from a difficult angle and saw a terrific strike go in off the far post.

It was his first goal since joining from Ebbsfleet and the midfielder wasn't going to pass up the chance to shoot.

Powell said: "As a central midfield player you look to get shots away whenever you can.

"That was my fifth game and I probably haven't had as many shots as I would have liked, so when you get an opportunity to take one on, you go for it.

"I usually aim for an area - I don't really pick a spot in the goal.

"I asked Alex Finney to come and stand closer to the front post and I just thought if I put one over his head it will have a chance of going in the far post.

"It worked out and ended up getting us back in the game and contributing to a good win.

"It turned everything around, along with Elliott Romain's disallowed goal.

"That gave us another reason to go and win the game because we didn't want to look back on that and think what could have been.

"Goals change games and although we weren't at our best in the first half, we knew we were still in the game.

"With the crowd behind you like that, you've always got a chance."

Maidstone were fired up after a half-time dressing-down.

It was exactly what was required, according to Powell, as United hit back from a goal down to win 2-1.

He said: "When there's lads who expect a lot from each other, and you've not hit the levels, you're going to have some confrontation.

"It's part and parcel and it's what you want to see. It obviously made a difference.

"If you're that sort of character, that's what you're there to do.

"I don't want to see people with that character and not show it."

Powell hopes his goal will be the start of a run after settling in nicely at the Gallagher Stadium.

He said: "Once you get one goal, you get two, three and before you know it, you're a one-in-two player or a one-in-three player.

"The training's been good. It's been quite specific, depending on who we've been playing, and there's a lot of detail.

"That's testament to the management team who have been really professional.

"That's the environment we want to create. I think I'm a professional person myself, so it goes hand in hand."