Jay Saunders praised Alex Brown after the midfielder filled in at full-back for Maidstone’s win over Truro.

Brown made his first National South start since the end of August in an unfamiliar position as cover for the suspended Callum Driver and proved his worth with an early goalline clearance in a 2-1 victory.

Stones boss Saunders said: “Browny came in and did very well. He played right-back for me at Ramsgate a few years ago and he’s done it in a couple of pre-season games.

“I had no issue with it. I made him aware on Thursday there was a good chance he'd be playing and I was confident he would do a good job for us.”

Brown lost his place in midfield after Stones’ August Bank Holiday defeat by Chelmsford and was then sidelined by a knee injury shortly after coming on as a substitute against Bath in September.

He was more than happy to play right-back.

Saunders added: “He’s been out a long time. I had a good chat with him and said he was one that if he hadn’t had a few games then we might have to look at loaning him out but I like having Browny around the place.

“He’s a good player, he gives 100% wherever you ask him to play, so I had no issue at all with throwing him in there.”

Frannie Collin was also back in the side, making his first league start since the opening week of the season.

Saunders said: “Frannie deserved his start. He’s worked very hard in training, he’s not complained, he’s got on with it and looked sharp in training. His finishing’s been good and I just felt he deserved a little run.”

Jamie Coyle put Maidstone in front after a wicked inswinging corner by Alex Flisher fell to him off a Truro defender, then Joe Healy won possession and played in Jay May for a lovely second goal before Truro grabbed a penalty consolation.

Saunders said: “It was a great ball in by Flish for the first goal.

“He's probably put 10 throw-ins in there and I don’t know how many corners, free-kicks and crosses we’ve had but we’ve not got on the end of them and I was frustrated.

“I said at half-time our movement’s got to be better off the throw-ins, off the corners.

"The goal came off the second phase, I think they got a flick on it but it’s fallen to Coyley and he’s finished.

“Joe’s made a great tackle and played a lovely weighted ball through to Jay for the second.

“When you go through one-on-one people expect a goal but when you’ve got that much time it’s not easy. He's made the right decision with a lovely little dink over the keeper."