Tom Hadler made the decisive save as Maidstone beat Billericay on penalties in the FA Trophy.

Hadler, who only regained his place at Ebbsfleet on Tuesday after Ryan Sandford suffered an injury, denied Michael Chambers as United won the shoot-out 6-5 following a 1-1 draw.

An early goal from former Maidstone loanee Norman Wabo looked set to take the National South strugglers through to round three.

But Joan Luque took the tie to spot-kicks with an 89th-minute equaliser on a bitterly cold afternoon in the county town.

After a quiet start Billericay took the lead with their first attack in the 10th minute.

There seemed little on when Wabo picked up possession deep in the Stones half but as he drove forward and shook off a challenge from Jerome Binnom-Williams, suddenly he found himself in the box and saw a deflected strike beat Tom Hadler.

Billericay, who’ve been on a dreadful run of form in National South, had exactly what they needed - something to hang on to - and it was down to Maidstone to break them down.

There were moments of quality, Regan Booty in particular playing some eye-catching passes, as United dominated possession, not to mention numerous corners and crosses, but precious little to trouble keeper Clark Masters.

Roarie Deacon went close with a deflected shot after cutting inside and Booty saw a strike parried with Sam Corne’s follow-up blocked on the line before George Fowler hit the side-netting.

Maidstone almost went two down early in the second half with Fowler denying substitute Joe Felix on the goalline from a rare Billericay attack.

Luque saw a 20-yard free-kick pushed over before Binnom-Williams’ cross set up a decent chance for Reece Grant but his header lacked the power to trouble the Ricay keeper.

Masters got down well to Luque as Maidstone continued to huff and puff without ever really looking like scoring.

That changed a minute from time when top scorer Luque netted for the third match running with a neat finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Booty, Dominic Odusanya, Jack Barham, Luque, Sam Corne and Binnom-Williams scored for Maidstone in the shoot-out, with Christie Pattisson the only player to miss for the hosts.

Maidstone: Hadler, Hoyte, Fowler, Brown, Binnom-Williams, Booty, Deacon (Barham 81mins), Corne, Phillips (Odusanya 74mins), Luque, Grant (Pattisson 61mins). Subs not used: McGlashan, Mersin, Walters.

Attendance: 813.

Referee: Jack Packman.