Embarrassment was the overriding emotion for Sam Bone after Maidstone’s heavy defeat at Hampton & Richmond.

Bone felt the Stones were bullied at set-pieces by a Beavers side who scored four goals from headers in a 5-2 victory on Saturday.

The visitors boasted the best defensive record in National League South before the game, with only 13 goals conceded in 15 matches, but were ruthlessly exposed as Mason Bloomfield helped himself to a hat-trick.

Bone, who’s played in defence and midfield this season, was in the back three at the Beveree, with skipper Gavin Hoyte and Reiss Greenidge on the injured list.

“It’s hard to put into words what happened - my initial reaction is embarrassment,” said Bone.

“To concede five goals, considering how well we’ve done defensively recently, is a kick in the teeth, but the beauty of football is we’ve got another game on Tuesday night (at home to Dover).

“It’s a quick turnaround and we’ve got to put things right.

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Report: Hampton 5-2 Maidstone

“There’s no explanation for it.

“They might have done but I can’t remember them having a shot on target in open play - it was mostly set-plays - and the easy way to sum it up is we were bullied.

“That’s frustrating, that’s not what we’re about, and it’s important we put it right on Tuesday.

“It can be a lonely sport when your man runs off you and scores a goal.

“If anything, it should spur you on to have a reaction but it was just too easy for the big man (Bloomfield).

“But we’re a team - we win together, we lose together.

“We’ve been on a good run and it’s important we try and start another one come Tuesday.”

It was a first defeat in 13 league and cup games for Maidstone.

So while it was undoubtedly a bad day at the office, perspective is also important after a two-month unbeaten run.

Bone felt that from the travelling supporters.

“You could see from the reaction from the fans at the end, they were clapping us off,” he said.

“I think they appreciate the good run we’ve been on and they appreciate today was one of those days.

“We’ll talk about this game before Tuesday night.

“If we came here and they played us off the park, you hold your hands up and say fair play to them but it wasn’t like that at all.

“I think second half especially, we looked good, even when we went down to 10 men (Devonte Aransibia picking up a second yellow card) but it was far too easy for them to score.

“They’ve scored from four headers - that’s not good enough.”