Maidstone’s weekend matchwinner Jon Benton will be forced to sit out their FA Cup tie.

On-loan Solihull Moors midfielder Benton capped a strong display in last weekend’s 1-0 National League South win against Hemel Hempstead by scoring the only goal in the first half. He slotted in after recalled winger Pierre Fonkeu had seen his initial effort save.

But the 23-year-old will have a foot in both camps as the Stones travel to face his parent club in the first round of the FA Cup this Saturday.

Stones manager George Elokobi said: “Sorry Jon Benton!

"He has been playing ever so well for us but he’s going to have to sit that one out. He will get plenty of hugs from me!

“I thought Jon was excellent on Saturday and could have had a hat-trick. But with the games we have got coming up, it shows it’s important each and every player is ready for when they are called upon - like we saw on Saturday.

“I felt Pierre had a terrific game, having not played for such a long time. He impacted the game in terms of both in possession and out of possession.

Report: Maidstone 1-0 Hemel Hempstead Town

Stones defender makes team-of-the-week

“He was a threat all game. He did the selfless work as a wide player.

“Pierre stepped in and has impacted the game positively for himself as an individual but, more importantly, for the team.”

Elokobi’s men will be FA Cup underdogs again at promotion-chasing National League side Solihull Moors but that’s a tag United are used to. They beat higher-division Ebbsfleet 3-0 to reach this stage of the competition.

Boss Elokobi was keen not to look too far ahead after the home victory against Hemel but said: “When we get to training on Wednesday, we will talk about the FA Cup.

“We know what kind of challenge we’re going to face - a big challenge - and that’s the most important thing.

"We can then start to get the players prepared.”

The winners of the tie will pocket £45,000.

Benton’s goal against Hemel came from one of many lovely left-wing crosses by Ben Brookes, with Charlie Seaman doing likewise on the other flank as the Stones posted a first home league win of the season.

While Elokobi was pleased to see the work they do in training on deliveries come to fruition, he admits his side can still be more clinical in finishing off those chances.

“We always say to the full-backs or wing-backs that, when the deliveries go in, they need to give the forwards something to feed off,” said Elokobi. “We saw that on Saturday in abundance in terms of the crosses that were going into the prime target areas.

“They were begging for someone to just throw their body on it. That’s where we got our goal from.

“It was an excellent delivery from the left, Pierre made a good run into the box and connected with it, and Jon Benton was alive. If you want that chance to fall to anyone, it’s Jon Benton in that area.

“He was clinical. That’s all we ask of our group.

“But can we improve? Yes. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and that’s where the improvement can come.

“But to win that first home league game of the season, it was going to take a clean sheet and a 1-0 win.

"Our players showed both sides of their game.”

The Stones’ clean sheet came despite them being forced to name a slightly reshuffled backline after centre-back George Fowler pulled out through illness. That led to a recall for Reiss Greenidge while Temi Eweka also impressed.

Elokobi noted: “I thought there were some fantastic individual performances, like Temi Eweka throwing his body on the line. Reiss Greenidge led the backline well.

“Both full-backs were up and down and did well in terms of what they did in possession.

“They were putting in some absolutely tremendous deliveries to the box but, also, doing their job of stopping crosses, covering for the centre-halves and making sure that we were nice and compact in key moments when they were countering.

“The midfielders did their jobs, as well.”

Maidstone’s Kent Senior Cup defence ended with a 2-1 defeat at Welling in the second round despite teenage midfielder Riley Court’s goal on Tuesday.

The Stones have been drawn at Isthmian Premier Horsham in the FA Trophy second round on Saturday, November 16.

Maidstone return to league action with a journey to Dorking Wanderers on Tuesday.