Ten-man Maidstone claimed a battling point at Altrincham on their return to the National League.

The Stones played the last half an hour a man down after Hady Ghandour was shown a second yellow card.

They rode their luck at times but worked their socks off to leave Moss Lane with a draw.

There were debuts for Jack Cawley and Portsmouth loanee Liam Vincent in the back four while Yusuf Mersin got the nod over Tom Hadler in goal.

Maidstone made early progress down the right through Roarie Deacon and Gavin Hoyte in a bright start that was rewarded with a fourth-minute opener.

A foul on Hoyte on the touchline saw Regan Booty’s wicked inswinging free-kick turned into his own net by Altrincham defender Liam Brockbank.

It was the perfect start for Hakan Hayrettin’s National South champions and it nearly got even better when Booty sent Jack Barham in on goal in the 12th minute.

The Stones forward looked favourite to score after going through one-on-one with Matt Gould but saw his strike hit the base of the post, with the keeper getting a crucial touch.

Booty sent a free-kick just wide, Gould held Sam Corne’s strike at the second attempt and Odusanya saw a deflected strike saved after Corne and Ghandour combined to win back possession near the corner flag.

Maidstone had done a good job of limiting the hosts but Altrincham grew as an attacking threat down the right.

Mersin justified his selection with a trio of excellent saves in a five-minute spell towards the end of the half, denying Chris Colclough, twice, and Brockbank.

But pressure paid off in the final minute of the first half when another move down the right ended with Chris Conn-Clarke sidefooting home the equaliser.

Christie Pattisson came on for Vincent in a half-time reshuffle that saw skipper Hoyte go across to left-back in a bid to stem the home threat down that flank.

But after an early chance for Barham, Altrincham hit the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds, the dangerous Colclough thumping an effort against the bar before Toby Mullarkey struck the inside of the post.

Maidstone’s task got harder on the hour when Ghandour - booked in the first half - received a second yellow card for a foul on the edge of the area.

Altrincham pushed hard for a second goal against the 10 men and when the Stones did get in their opponents’ half, they quickly lost possession.

The power and pace of substitute James Alabi up top helped the visitors, who also introduced Henry Woods to get his foot on the ball and calm things down.

Maidstone survived a big penalty appeal in the final 10 minutes, Deacon with the challenge on Colclough.

It certainly looked as though the visitors may have got away with one.

Ex-Dartford striker Marcus Dinanga had the ball in the net for the Robins after another Mersin save in added time but the linesman's flag went up for offside.

Altrincham: Gould, Brockbank (Pringle 80mins), Mullarkey, Baines, Lundstram, Hulme (Dinanga 88mins), Osborne, Colclough, Conn-Clarke, Jones (Cooper 52mins), Bennett. Subs not used: Hussain, Sami.

Maidstone: Mersin, Hoyte, Fowler, Cawley, Vincent (Pattisson 46mins), Booty, Odusanya (Woods 75mins), Corne, Deacon, Ghandour, Barham (Alabi 68mins). Subs not used: Hadler, Ellul.

Referee: Matt Corlett.

Attendance: 1,717 (199 away).