George Elokobi has called for calm heads when Maidstone visit local rivals Tonbridge on Boxing Day.

Two in-form sides meet in a 1pm kick-off at Longmead.

The Stones are on a 15-game unbeaten run in National League South and have won their past four games without conceding a goal.

It’s a run that’s elevated them to fifth place.

Tonbridge are enjoying an excellent campaign themselves.

They went nine league games unbeaten at the start of the season - a run matched only by Hemel - and they’re just four points off the play-offs in 10th place.

Jay Saunders’ side have lost only two of their last 10 and on Saturday followed back-to-back home wins by drawing 1-1 at title-chasing Boreham Wood.

With both clubs going well, it’s all set up for an intriguing local derby in front of a big crowd.

“Every team, every game is completely different,” said Maidstone manager Elokobi, who is set to be without injured captain Sam Corne (ankle).

“There’s a different context to every game and it’s important we look at the context of this game and make sure we don’t get too carried away.

“Tonbridge are in fine form, they’ve been having a good season themselves and we know that.

“It’s all about preparation, looking into the small details that’s needed against a good side like Tonbridge.

“It’s a completely different game but at the same time it’s only three points you can get from it.

“We have to make sure we go there, nice and calm, and if the preparations are right the players don’t need to panic, they don’t need to do anything different from what we’ve been doing.

“We need to be us, we need to play to our principles, we need to play to our objectives and make sure we don’t go away from that and become something that we aren’t.

“The group of players we’ve got understand this.”

Emotions can run high in derbies - just ask Stones midfielder Jordan Higgs.

He was in Tonbridge colours this time last year, celebrating in front of the Maidstone dugout after earning a point with an injury-time wonder strike.

A melee followed before order was restored.

“We didn’t react to that. That wasn’t our doing,” said Elokobi.

“We are Maidstone United Football Club, we know how to behave, we know how to act.

“We’ve just got to concentrate from the first second to the 95th minute and see if we can get a positive result for our football club.

“We know who we’re going to be coming up against and they’re a good side. We’ll be ready for them.”

Elokobi has stressed the need to keep working hard as Maidstone bid to continue their fine run.

They’re in a good place, scoring goals at one end and keeping them out at the other.

After a slow start to the campaign, they’re only four points behind leaders Torquay.

There’s a long way to go, however.

“We’re halfway through the season, nothing is achieved at this stage,” said Elokobi.

“We want to maintain consistency.

“We know we’ve got the skills but without the hard work, those skills and talents mean nothing, and the players are understanding that now.

“We understand that teams are always going to be raising their intensity against Maidstone United because of what we did last season.

“I keep stressing that and the players are understanding that, which means we have to work harder to ensure we have a foothold in games and then we can impose ourselves, not just attacking but also defensively.

“The players at the back have been terrific but also the forward players have been terrific in doing their jobs and making sure they defend from the front, and the midfield nice and compact when we haven’t got the ball but also expansive when we have possession.

“You’re seeing all that now in bundles and you’re seeing the confidence and the enjoyment in the players’ faces, not just when we have possession but also the ugly side of the game, winning first phases, second phases, third phases.

“They’re also showing the composure, the calmness, when we land on the ball, trying to find that first pass.”

Maidstone beat Farnborough 4-0 on Saturday thanks to goals from Aaron Blair, Sol Wanjau-Smith, Antony Papadopoulos and Matt Rush.