Maidstone remain in the National League relegation zone after losing to play-off contenders Aldershot on Saturday.

Defeat was harsh on Stones with the visitors’ two goals coming from their only efforts on target.

Jay Saunders’ side, a goal down at the break, enjoyed plenty of pressure but couldn’t level and conceded a late second.

Jamie Coyle’s return from illness allowed Stones to revert to the 3-5-2 formation which worked so well against Torquay a fortnight ago.

Coyle was one of two changes to the side beaten at Solihull, with Joe Pigott handed his first start up top.

Pigott looked bright early on, showing some nice touches and winning his headers but it was a fairly tight start with few chances.

Aldershot began like a train when the sides met at the Rec in the first midweek game of the season but hadn’t mustered a shot here before taking the lead in the 19th minute.

Ipswich loanee Benyu seemed to run into Anthony Acheampong on the edge of the box - he certainly knew what he was doing - but you couldn’t argue with the quality of his free-kick, bending a lovely low effort beyond Lee Worgan and into the bottom corner.

Stones had a decent opportunity with the game goalless when Coyle’s header from birthday boy Bobby-Joe Taylor’s corner went straight at keeper Jake Cole.

After falling behind the closest they went to an equaliser came when Seth Twumasi wrapped his foot around a Pigott knockdown with the ball narrowly missing the top corner.

Towards half-time, Reece Prestedge worked Cole from distance while Jamar Loza’s deflected strike went out for a corner.

Maidstone, with Loza running at the Shots defence, raised the tempo at the start of the second half.

A fast start got the crowd going and they almost had a goal to celebrate with Coyle’s bullet header from a Taylor corner spectacularly saved.

Taylor then found himself in on goal from Pigott’s pass but finished tamely on his weaker right foot.

Stones turned to Sam-Yorke and his first contribution was to force a mistake in the Shots defence and square to Pigott whose shot was blocked.

Tom Mills’ deflected strike went wide after Paxman set Loza free with a marvellous crossfield pass, with Coyle’s overhead kick from the corner hitting the side-netting as Maidstone continued to have a go.

Worgan did well to get a touch on the ball first as Matt McClure went through on goal and hit the deck, referee Craig Hicks waving away penalty appeals.

But it was game over on 86 minutes when Jake Gallagher side-footed a cross past Worgan for Aldershot’s second.

Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Taylor (Sam-Yorke 67mins), Acheampong, Coyle, Mills, Prestedge, Lewis, Paxman (Flisher 77mins), Pigott, Loza (Karagiannis 84mins). Subs not used: Lokko, Rogers.

Attendance: 2,293.