Maidstone manager Hakan Hayrettin can see goalkeeper Ryan Sandford playing in the Football League.

Sandford kept a third clean sheet in four games as United drew 0-0 with Oldham in the National League yesterday.

He continues to impress since rejoining on a three-month loan deal from Millwall and appears well-equipped to carve out a career in the EFL.

For now, though, he’s Maidstone’s goalkeeper and Hayrettin is pleased to have him on board, highlighting a brilliant first-half reflex save in particular.

The Stones boss made a point of praising Yusuf Mersin and Tom Hadler but clearly thinks a lot of his loanee, who has been on the losing side only once in five games since returning to the Gallagher.

“That’s three clean sheets in four games and two in a row,” said Hayrettin, as Maidstone built on last week’s 2-0 win at Scunthorpe.

“Yus and Tom have done a good job but Ryan’s come in and maybe he's a little bit more agile, I’m not sure.

“We made a decision to bring him back and he’s made a great save today. He’s a good goalkeeper.

“I think he’ll play in the Football League. He’s a project, isn’t he? But we want him here as long as we can.”

Another shut-out pleased Hayrettin as much as anything as improving Maidstone made it one defeat in five.

The point was enough to keep them outside the National League relegation zone, above opponents Oldham.

“It was a tight game,” said Hayrettin. "We’ve kept another clean sheet, which is vitally important.

• Report: Maidstone 0-0 Oldham

“I’ve just told the boys in there, we’re building bricks now.

“Did we play exceptionally well? No. Did they? No. Did the nullify us? Yes.

“We didn’t really get our football going but we’ve kept a clean sheet and we didn’t lose at home, which is good.

“Every time you go out and play, no team wants to lose but it was a tight and nervy game.

“We defended well, I think, from set-pieces. We know they’re always a threat.

“We watched three of their games and they can be a threat but it was exceptional the way we defended and we dug deep to keep in the game, and we had a couple of chances.

“It’s one defeat in five. That’s the positive, and the one defeat, we were 2-1 up at Eastleigh and we go down to 10 men and lose 5-2.

"I still maintain that’s a different game if we keep 11 men on the pitch.”

Skipper Gavin Hoyte was available after serving a one-game ban following his dismissal at Eastleigh but George Fowler kept his place at right-back.

Hoyte - an unused substitute - has been an automatic choice in his four seasons at the Gallagher but Hayrettin kept faith with Fowler.

“That’s football,” said the manager. “Gav’s a very important player but we make decisions based on what we see.”