Maidstone United suffered a 2-0 defeat at Met Police on their return to Ryman League Premier Division on Saturday afternoon - less than 48 hours after their FA Cup heroics against Stevenage.

The visitors suffered just their third league defeat of the season after falling behind after just 10 minutes when Jack Knight was left unmarked to head home a Billy Crook cross.

Stones stopper Lee Worgan made a string of saves to keep the hosts at bay, while at the other end Jay May pulled a shot over the bar after good work from Frannie Collin.

After the break May headed over and Collin was denied from long range by Stuart Searle before the hosts made the game safe on the break, sub Matt Pattison striding forward nine minutes from time and firing low past Worgan from 18 yards to topple Jay Saunders' second-placed Stones.

They had begun the day seven points behind Kent rivals Margate - albeit with four games in hand - but Gate suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at Hampton & Richmond Borough.

The four teams chasing the top-two all won with third-placed Hendon now just a point behind Maidstone and eight off the top with two games in hand on Gate.