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More on KentOnline
Maidstone showed the qualities Hakan Hayrettin values in their 2-2 draw with Havant.
The Stones claimed a point with Dan Wishart’s injury-time header, having seen the unbeaten visitors come from a goal down to lead 2-1.
Defeat would have been hard on a Stones side who were the better team for much of the game.
But they didn’t give up and got their rewards with the late equaliser.
Maidstone drop three places to 10th in National League South, while Havant remain second.
Head coach Hayrettin said: “It was a good game. I thought we were good first half, good value.
“Playing against an experienced team we did ever so well.
“I thought we were better than them in both boxes - their goalkeeper, Ross Worner, has made five or six good saves.
“We’ve given away what we think may be two sloppy goals but we still came back, we showed a lot of commitment, a lot of desire and passion and we scored a great goal.
“One thing you’ll find with this group, even if the quality’s not going to be there at certain periods of the game, their commitment and desire will be and their work rate will be.
“So we need to keep progressing that side of it and make sure we keep picking up points.
“That’s one in seven we’ve lost, which is a good run, and we need to keep that going.”
Opening goalscorer Jonny Edwards finished the afternoon at Maidstone Hospital after suffering a rib injury.
He’d collided with Worner minutes before the delightful lob that gave United the lead and eventually came off.
It was his first Stones goal and one that should give the former Halifax striker plenty of confidence.
Hayrettin said: “He landed on his ribs, he’s bruised his ribs.
“We’ve sent him to A&E to see how he is.
“It was a great goal, fully deserved.
“I think we need to get him to understand that he’s capable of doing a lot better.
“It’s not easy coming from a club where you’re constantly on the bench but we’ve giving him the opportunity and John (Still, head of football) believes in him so much that we think he will score a lot more goals.
“He had three chances - two were on target and one wasn’t - and the goal he’s scored was probably the hardest technique.”
