Sam Bone scored the winner as Maidstone beat National South promotion rivals Torquay at Plainmoor.

The hosts played for an hour with 10 men after ex-United defender Ross Marshall was sent off for bringing down Sol Wanjau-Smith in the box.

Levi Amantchi’s penalty was saved but the Stones made it five wins in a row in all competitions thanks to Bone’s second-half strike.

Defender Reiss Greenidge made his first appearance since August after recovering from a hip injury as one of three changes to the side who won in the FA Cup at Winchester last weekend.

Sam Corne and Michael Petrasso also returned to the starting XI, with Chi Ezennolim, Conor Kelly and Lamar Reynolds making way.

Maidstone made a bright start in the Devon sunshine, forcing the hosts into some sloppy errors in their own half in the early stages.

The visitors’ control didn’t translate into chances although there were a couple of dangerous balls across the face of goal from Petrasso as United looked for an opener.

Former Stones defender Marshall saw red as Maidstone were awarded a penalty after half an hour.

It was a moment to forget for Marshall whose slack backpass gave Wanjau-Smith something to chase and to compound the initial mistake he brought down the Maidstone man and was sent off.

Leading scorer Amantchi took responsibility with Wanjau-Smith replaced as penalty taker after last weekend’s Panenka left Stones boss George Elokobi less than impressed.

He went low to the keeper’s right but Mark Halstead got down to make the save.

Maidstone had an hour to move the 10 men of Torquay about but the hosts finished the first half well, with former Gulls keeper Lucas Covolan making a good save as Aaron Jarvis aimed for the far corner.

And Jarvis had a golden chance in the first minute of the second half, too, heading wide from a Jack Stobbs cross.

Devonte Aransibia’s strike was diverted past the post by a Torquay defender, Amantchi headed wide and Halstead parried Bone’s deflected strike as Maidstone responded with a series of half-chances.

Lapslie sent a free header over for the hosts before Maidstone took a 69th-minute lead.

Bone was the scorer, drilling into the bottom corner after Harry Kyprianou’s cross was cleared to the edge of the box.

Aransibia missed a big chance to double Maidstone’s lead five minutes later, firing over after substitute Razzaq Coleman De-Graft squared to the back post.

Torquay had an equally good opening with Brad Ash missing the target when through one-on-one with Covolan after a mix-up in the away defence.

Gary Johnson’s side had played well with 10 men and continued to make Maidstone work hard for their victory.

Torquay: Halstead, Lapslie, Marshall, Jarvis, Collins, Ash, McGavin (Hall 77mins), Donnellan, Moxey (Craske 80mins), Tomlinson (Hanson 88mins), Stobbs. Subs not used: Lovett, Thomas.

Maidstone: Covolan, Brown (Hoyte 83mins), Fowler, Greenidge, Kyprianou, Bone, Corne, Aransibia, Petrasso (Coleman De-Graft 72mins), Wanjau-Smith (Gbode 63mins), Amantchi. Subs not used: Earle, Sole.

Referee: Jack Bloxham.

Attendance: 2,436 (110 away).