New Maidstone boss Harry Wheeler described his first match in charge as a big eye-opener.

The Stones lost 2-0 to table-topping Harrogate at the Gallagher Stadium on Saturday.

And Wheeler said: "We learned a lot, more than we wanted to learn.

"That's probably a little bit harsh but it's a big eye-opener.

"You know some things and then I've just said to someone in there, once you see it, you really know it.

"The positive second half is we contained them.

"It could have gone either way, we could have got back in it, at the same time it could have got a lot worse.

"You learn a lot more in games than you do in training.

"You can learn as much as you want in training, you're still going to find out more in a game.

"The savviness was better but not enough, in terms of doing the right things in the right areas, being decisive on the ball, not being caught in two minds."

Wheeler was unhappy with both goals as Maidstone suffered a sixth straight defeat.

Callum Howe scored the first from a corner, with Jack Muldoon doubling Town's lead just before the break.

Wheeler said: "We worked on it, didn't drop as the ball's struck, that's the second goal.

"On the first one we spoke about second balls from set plays, we worked on it, didn't do it.

"If they'd taken on board what we'd done beforehand it would have been at least 0-0.

"We're learning from everything as we go along.

"It will turn around but it's just going to take a little bit of time and unfortunately we don't have loads of it."

At the same time, it's important to remember it is only one game.

Wheeler said: "There's 115 points to play for, to put it into context.

"This game doesn't define the lads.

"We'll do what we've got to do.

"There's a lot of work for me and Tristan (Lewis) to do this week to try and make sure there's some improvements."

Read the match report from Maidstone's 2-0 defeat by Harrogate