An 88th-minute penalty saw Maidstone beaten in Steve Watt’s first game as caretaker manager.

Lee Worgan had already saved one Scott Boden spot-kick in the first half.

But he was sent the wrong way from the spot when Boden stepped up again following a foul by Will De Havilland, who was probably the Stones’ man-of-the-match.

Both sides finished with 10 men with Blair Turgott and the Heed’s JJ O’Donnell seeing red following an off-the-ball incident after the award of the second penalty.

Watt made three changes to the side beaten by Boreham Wood and switched to 4-4-2.

George McLennan, an unused substitute in the past four games, played on the left wing while Shamir Mullings returned up front and was partnered by leading scorer Turgott.

Captain Stuart Lewis was ruled out with a hamstring injury, so Michael Phillips took his place in midfield.

McLennan had the Stones’ only chance of the first half, a decent strike well saved by Aynsley Pears when played in by Turgott.

Other than that, the visitors were mainly on the back foot and it was about working hard to keep the Heed at bay.

They managed that, thanks to some decent defending and a series of saves by Worgan, but the ball kept coming back.

Worgan had already made a smart tip-over Steve Rigg’s header when Maidstone conceded a ninth-minute penalty.

Michee Efete was the man penalised for a challenge on O’Donnell but Boden’s poor spot-kick was easily saved.

Worgan went on to deny Rigg with his legs, made an excellent stop from Boden after Phillips’ loose pass and kept out Tom White at the second attempt.

De Havilland made a couple of important interceptions early in the second half as Gateshead took the corner tally to 11-0 by the hour.

He also made a good block from Greg Olley midway through the second half, while Alex Finney was looking equally solid.

Ollie Muldoon blasted over at the other end when teed up by Jack Paxman in a rare Stones attack, while a three-on-one counter, led by substitute Andre Coker, came to nothing.

Maidstone had a decent spell of possession around the 75-minute mark and you started to wonder if the smash-and-grab might be on.

But they slipped to defeat when De Havilland’s trip on Rigg gave Boden another chance from the spot.

Turgott and O’Donnell were dismissed for an off-the-ball incident before Boden stepped up and this time sent Worgan the wrong way.

Maidstone: Worgan, Efete (Loza 90mins), De Havilland, Finney, Twumasi, Paxman (Quigley 90mins), Muldoon, Phillips, McLennan (Coker 63mins), Turgott, Mullings. Subs not used: Funnell, Wynter. Attendance: 564 (46 away).