Two late goals saw Maidstone lose a six-goal thriller at home to Dorking.

Jack Barham and Christie Pattisson cancelled out a pair of James McShane goals in a 100mph clash at the Gallagher.

But Dorking regained the lead through substitute Ryan Seager’s 85th-minute penalty, with Stones midfielder Sam Corne sent off before the game restarted.

Seager added his second in added time to clinch the points for Wanderers.

It was Maidstone’s first defeat of the campaign, coming against the side they pipped to last season’s National South title.

An action-packed first half saw both sides committed to attack in a game that saw big chances at either end.

The teams barely had a chance to catch their breath, going at each other hammer and tongs.

For the visitors, McShane somehow blazed over in the opening minutes when found by Luke Moore following a mistake in the Stones defence, while Yusuf Mersin was sharply off his line to make fine saves from Alfie Rutherford and then Niall McManus with the game goalless.

In between those openings, a lovely ball from Regan Booty freed Pattisson - one of two changes from Maidstone’s win over York - and while he did well to cut inside and dump Jordan Cheadle on his backside, Wanderers keeper Slav Huk made the block.

Huk also denied Joe Ellul, who cleverly flicked the ball goalwards from Corne’s header before Dorking opened the scoring in the 18th minute.

Former Stones winger Bobby-Joe Taylor was the provider, crossing from the right, with Dan Gallagher helping the ball to McShane who finished emphatically into the top corner.

Maidstone levelled on 34 minutes courtesy of Barham’s first goal of the season.

He pounced from a yard out after Dominic Odusanya got his head to Booty’s inswinging corner.

Several half-chances fell the Stones’ way, with Barham’s header tipped over by Huk and Corne and Deacon firing wide from distance, before an outstanding challenge on the edge of the area by Jack Cawley to dispossess the dangerous Rutherford at the other end.

There was no letting up in the second half, either, with two goals in three minutes just after the break.

McShane’s cool finish put Dorking back in front in the 48th minute after Odusanya’s pass was intercepted by Jack Jebb.

Back came Maidstone to level on 51 minutes, with Gavin Hoyte’s cross from the left headed back across goal and into the corner by Pattisson for his first of the campaign.

Wanderers should have regained the lead soon after when Cawley’s backpass presented the ball to Jebb but Ellul got a crucial touch to divert the shot out for a corner.

Another opening saw McManus feed Taylor who curled over after cutting inside and making the angle for a shot.

A three-on-one counter followed with Ellul thwarting McManus in the box from Rutherford’s pass.

At the other end, Booty’s diagonal picked out Pattisson who squared to Corne but the shot went straight at Huk as the sides continued to slug it out.

Dorking went 3-2 up six minutes from time with substitute Seager sending Mersin the wrong way from the penalty spot after Henry Woods fouled Gallagher.

The visitors were still celebrating when Stones midfielder Corne was shown a straight red card (we’ll have to wait for the replays to find out why).

Marc White's side added their fourth in injury time with a classy finish from Seager.

Maidstone: Mersin, Fowler, Ellul, Cawley, Hoyte, Booty, Odusanya (Woods 68mins), Corne, Pattisson, Deacon, Barham (Ghandour 74mins). Subs not used: Hadler, Alabi, Vincent.

Dorking: Huk, Philpot, Bobby-Joe Taylor, McManus, Rutherford (El-Abd 85mins), McShane (Seager 78mins), Cheadle, Josh Taylor, Moore, Gallagher, Jebb. Subs not used: El-Abd, Kennedy, Mekki, Ottaway.

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.

Attendance: 2.497 (207 away).