Maidstone’s long wait for a league win goes on after losing at home to Eastleigh.

Jack Barham scored as the Stones battled back from JJ McKiernan’s first-half opener and at that stage the hosts were looking the more likely winners.

But two late goals in a six-minute spell, from Danny Whitehall and Jake Scrimshaw, condemned the National League’s bottom side to another defeat, with Regan Booty seeing an injury-time penalty saved.

Their winless run in the league is up to 12 matches, during which time they’ve taken just a solitary point. They're now 10 points from safety.

Maidstone beat play-off hopefuls Eastleigh 4-0 in the FA Trophy a little over a week ago.

And while the Spitfires were never going to allow that to happen again, the Stones showed early promise in a bright start that saw them get at the visitors down the left.

Barham saw an effort on the turn from the edge of the box well-saved by Joe McDonnell diving low to his right.

Leading scorer Barham then turned provider for Roarie Deacon, whose thumping first-time volley went over the bar.

Deacon saw another effort kept out by McDonnell as Maidstone continued to probe while, for Eastleigh, Whitehall volleyed wide with Dan Barden slightly out of his goal, Oscar Rutherford cleared the bar and Kairo Mitchell missed the target when well-placed in the box.

Just when it looked as though an even first half was about to to end goalless, Eastleigh broke the deadlock.

The goal came right on 45 minutes, with Rutherford lifting the ball back into the box for McKieran to lose his man and nod over Barden as the Stones keeper came off his line.

James Alabi had the ball in the net early in the second half, with the linesman’s flag eventually going up for offside.

Maidstone went on to level in the 60th minute.

Booty sprayed a lovely ball out wide to Josh Shonibare, who got to the byline and crossed for Barham to head home in the six-yard box.

Shonibare’s pace had Eastleigh worried again moments later, feeding Alabi, who saw penalty claims waved away, then Barham’s neat low finish was ruled out by another offside flag.

With Maidstone transformed by the goal, Deacon hit the inside of the post before releasing Jerome Binnom-Williams, whose finish didn’t match the quality of his run into the box.

Whitehall hit the side-netting for the visitors after exchanging passes with Charlie Carter moving into the final 15 minutes.

Maidstone had just introduced Sol Wanjau-Smith when the Spitfires regained the lead in the 79th minute.

It came out of nothing but what a strike nonetheless as a ball over the top reached Whitehall, whose 30-yard effort flew past Barden into the far corner.

Number three followed on 85 minutes, with substitute Scrimshaw finishing a cutback.

Maidstone had the chance to set up a big finish after Wanjau-Smith was taken down in the box but Booty's spot-kick was saved by McDonnell.

Maidstone: Barden, Jobe, Fowler, Bone, Binnom-Williams, Shonibare (Walters 83mins), Lawson, Booty, Deacon, Barham, Alabi (Wanjau-Smith 79mins). Subs not used: Mersin, Brown, Marshall

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Maghoma, Carter, Cisse, Whitehall, McKiernan, Harper, Mitchell (Scrimshaw 81mins), Panter, Rutherford, Lloyd (Atangan 82mins). Subs not used: Martin, Langston, Payne.

Referee: Lloyd Wood.

Attendance: 1,463 (24 away).