Two late goals fired Maidstone to victory against high-flying Chelmsford in National League South on Tuesday night.

Sam Corne broke the deadlock from the penalty spot with 10 minutes remaining and Matt Rush added an injury-time clincher against the second-placed visitors, who had Finley Barbrook sent off.

Victory wasn’t enough to climb back into the play-offs, though, with George Elokobi’s men outside the top seven on goal difference.

Maidstone included a new signing on the bench in striker Matt Bentley.

His signing was announced a couple of hours before kick-off having been training with the club for the past few weeks following his return from America.

He came on for his debut with 18 minutes remaining as Maidstone chased a winner.

This fixture held happy memories for home fans with the Stones clinching the National League South title the last time City visited the Gallagher nearly two years ago.

Stones supporters in the Genco Stand sang non-stop about that 2022 championship triumph in the opening minutes of an entertaining, albeit goalless, first half.

It was end-to-end stuff with both sides having their moments in attack.

Raphe Brown had the ball in the net for Maidstone just before the half-hour mark but was adjudged to have handled the cross.

Jephte Tanga again looked bright for the hosts and it was his cross that led to an early chance for Mo Faal, who stabbed wide, while Bivesh Gurung forced an excellent save from Henry Gray after exchanging passes with Liam Sole in the box.

City’s best chance of the half saw Barbrook plant a free header over the bar from a corner - one he should have scored - while George Alexander’s free-kick brought a flying save from Lucas Covolan.

Covolan also saved well from Josh Castiglione when set up by Ody Alfa following a Chelmsford counter-attack.

Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong went close for Maidstone from the edge of the box at the start of the second half.

But the sting went out of the game for a spell and while the commitment was there from both teams, neither particularly looked like scoring in open play.

A dead ball was perhaps the best chance of a goal and so it proved as Maidstone were awarded a penalty for handball with 10 minutes remaining.

Corne missed his last spot-kick against Dover but there was no mistake this time as he sent Gray the wrong way from the spot.

City had last man Barbrook sent off for bringing down Rush on the edge of the box as the visitors’ night unravelled.

And Rush clinched victory with a cracking strike from the edge of the box in the fifth minute of added time.

Maidstone: Covolan, Fowler, Greenidge, Brown (Appiah 46mins), Sole (Reynolds 67mins), Corne, Gurung, Berkeley-Agyepong, Tanga, Rush, Faal (Bentley 72mins). Subs not used: Ezennolim, Earle.

Chelmsford: Gray, James, Brookes, Wordsworth (Carruthers 87mins), Francis, Alexander (Hockey 79mins), Barbrook, Barnum-Bobb, Alfa (Ruff 79mins), Castiglione, Ochieng. Subs not used: Marsden, Watts.

Referee: Olly Mackey.

Attendance: 1,720.