Yusuf Mersin handled the pressure that came with replacing suspended Maidstone goalkeeper Tom Hadler.

Mersin made his full debut against Bath last weekend, with Hadler starting a three-match ban after the FA rejected an appeal against his red card in the 4-0 win over Ebbsfleet.

The former Dover man played the final 10 minutes against Fleet, following Hadler’s dismissal, but the Bath game was his first start.

Mersin, who played in the Football League for Crawley, produced an assured performance, including an outstanding save at 0-0, as Maidstone extended their unbeaten run in National South to 12 games with a 2-1 win.

The Stones boast the meanest defence in the division, with only 20 goals conceded going into the Bath game.

Mersin could take confidence from that but it brought its own pressure, along with the Stones’ fine form.

“It’s a positive because you think you’ve got a good base but there’s pressure as well because the team were unbeaten in 11 games before this and you don’t want to let anyone down,” said the 6ft 5in keeper.

“I’ve been here a couple of months, so I know the lads, but in a game scenario, when you’ve not been playing, you don’t know which is defender is going to do what because people have their own way of playing, sweeping up and stuff like that.

“It takes time but, listen, I’ve got three games, hopefully they go well and we’ll see what happens.

“From Tuesday we heard Tom’s appeal had been unsuccessful, so it’s an opportunity for me.

“It was a tough game to come into, the management called it, but it’s the sort of game you’ve got to win if you’re going to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

“Tom’s been brilliant and the back four’s been brilliant. Even the ones not in the team have been pushing.

“I was pleased with that save in the first half.

“It’s one of those where they broke away and I didn’t gamble but I half-read the ball had gone through someone’s legs and I got down to it.

“It was a tough save to make but, listen, that’s my job and if you want to take your opportunity, that’s what you’ve got to do, make saves, and that one went well.”

Mersin continues in goal at Eastbourne tomorrow and there will be a familiar face at the other end in Stones hero and former Dover team-mate Lee Worgan.

The pair are good friends and have stayed in touch since going their separate ways.

“Me and Worgs still speak weekly,” said Mersin. “I still speak to Glenn Morris, who I was with at Crawley, too, and they both wished me well.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Worgs on Saturday. He’s a legend at this club.”

Mersin spent two years with Dover following his release by Crawley, departing Crabble last summer.

He joined Maidstone as a free agent and has regularly been named on the bench.

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“We had a good side when I first went to Dover, we weren’t far off the play-offs when Covid stopped the season,” said Mersin.

“The second season, Covid was bad for the club, the owner was struggling and we gave up playing in February for financial reasons.

“This is a proper set-up here, it was at Dover, but this is a big club.

“One thing that surprised me here was the fans.

“I’ve played for Dover and Crawley but this is on another level fan-wise.

“That Ebbsfleet game on the Tuesday night, I said to Jake Gallagher, these are the games you want to play in, and, to be fair, I did get 10 minutes after Tom got sent off!

“The atmosphere was unbelievable.”