Maidstone boss Hakan Hayrettin believes his players’ mental strength will be vital in their title challenge.

With nine games to go, Hayrettin’s men are second in National League South.

But they are now only behind frontrunners Dorking on goal difference - by just three goals - while third-placed Dartford sit seven points off the summit with a game in hand.

After beating Dulwich 2-0 on Tuesday to record a 10th straight home league win which leaves them joint-top with Dorking, Hayrettin said: “That’s the place where we deserve to be.

“Now, it’s about mental strength and doing the right things for the nine games to try and take that spot.”

Joan Luque set them on their way to victory against Dulwich with his first-half strike, his 20th goal this season, before striker Jack Barham added a second after the restart to cap a fine performance.

When asked if any side in the league could live with his team when they play that well, Hayrettin replied: “No, I don’t think so. But it’s getting their minds right.

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“It’s getting 11 sets of players with the same mind and the right attitude but, let’s be honest now, the whole season they have been fantastic. Long may it continue.”

Despite having the best record on the road in the league, Maidstone have lost their last two away matches - to Dorking and Slough.

They will look to get back on track at Braintree this Saturday, having already beaten Hayrettin’s former club at the Gallagher this month.

But they’ve lost just twice in the last 10 and have won their last four home games, all by a 1-0 scoreline.

Ahead of the match against 15th-placed Braintree, who beat fifth-placed Ebbsfleet in midweek, the Stones manager insisted: “Listen, it’s going to be a tough game. Let’s not think that we are going to turn up and we are going to win.

“It’s going be a tough game. They’re good opponents - organised, resilient, (and) their biggest strength is they work hard for each other.

“We have got to go there, match them and do better.”

Hayrettin also explained the changes he made to his starting line-up against Dulwich.

He said: “George Fowler, he has had this little niggly knee injury and we didn’t want to keep busting his gut, getting him to play every week.

“But he has declared himself fit (and was an unused substitute).

“Same with Sam Corne, he has been a little bit injured and a little bit off it, so we took him out.

“Michael Phillips came in. He has always been a prime player for me.

“He has been struggling with injuries but big players at this level turn up for big occasions and he did that.”

Raphe Brown and Dominic Odusanya also returned to the side while on-loan Charlton midfielder Johl Powell was left out of the squad entirely.

On Powell’s absence, Hayrettin added: “That’s just (a case of) shuffling the pack.”