Vas Karagiannis was chief tormentor again as Maidstone beat Weston for the second time in five days.

He followed his last-minute winner on Tuesday night by scoring twice and setting up the third for Dumebi Dumaka at the Gallagher on Saturday.

Victory keeps United seven points behind National League South leaders Ebbsfleet, who thumped Hemel Hempstead.

Jack Paxman for James Rogers was the only change for the return game.

And he was quickly involved, playing the pass that saw Alex Flisher brought down by keeper Luke Purnell as Maidstone were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute.

Karagiannis beat Purnell down the middle for United’s last-minute spot-kick winner at Weston but this time he went low to the keeper’s right to give his side the lead.

Jay Saunders’ men were all over the league strugglers, the likes of Karagiannis and Paxman seeing so much of the ball.

Dumaka worked Purnell shortly after the opener, Flisher floated a header inches wide from Joe Healy’s teasing cross and Karagiannis bent a free-kick just over.

Having dominated, Maidstone conceded the equaliser out of nothing. Callum Driver gave away the ball in midfield, Dayle Grubb found Scott Wilson and the Weston striker finished impressively from the edge of the area after 24 minutes.

Weston tails were up after the goal and it took Maidstone time to get back on top.

However, they were back in front in the 39th minute - and what a goal it was.

Karagiannis was clipped by Danny Wring as he looked to make room for the shot just outside the area.

With the free-kick no more than 20 yards and pretty central, the winger had little room to play with but bent a brilliant shot over the wall and into the top corner.

Grubb wasted a golden chance to level a minute later, opening up his body when through but rolling the ball wide of Lee Worgan’s far post.

A lovely move between Flisher and Healy down the left ended with Dumaka shooting wide as Maidstone started well after the break.

Dumaka was at it again soon after, Purnell with a decent save after the ball broke off Flisher on the edge of the area, and he also headed over from the corner.

A goal for Dumaka looked a matter of time and it arrived on 54 minutes, a neat header from Karagiannis’ deep free-kick finding the corner.

Confidence flowed in Maidstone’s play after the third. They played the ball around nicely, the crowd were buzzing and it looked as though the score could be anything.

Purnell’s excellent tip-over denied Karagiannis a hat-trick and the keeper also did well from a fierce Dumaka strike before the game settled down.

Karagiannis continued to look for his hat-trick, curling an effort just wide and then thwarted once more by Purnell after getting himself in the middle.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Davies, Parry, Paxman (Taylor 80mins), Karagiannis, Healy, Dumaka (May 86mins), Sweeney, Flisher (Akrofi 86mins). Subs not used: Rogers, Birchall.

Attendance: 2,143.