There was nothing to separate the bottom two National League sides as Maidstone were held at home by Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

Utility player Sam Bone had put the Stones ahead with a deflected first-half goal - his first for the club - but away captain Jacob Butterfield got the visitors level shortly after the restart.

Both sides did push for a winner but could not find one and a draw does little to help either outfits' survival hopes.

As the hosts tried to set the early tempo at the Gallagher Stadium in front of a crowd of 1,571, defender George Fowler put in a couple of big - but fair - tackles inside the opening minute.

The first chance of the night fell to Scunthorpe in the fifth minute, though.

Butterfield’s shot was easily gathered by goalkeeper Dan Barden before he saw a drive whistle just wide, six minutes later.

The recalled Mark Marshall then whipped in a dangerous cross for Maidstone, which just had too much on it for frontman Jack Barham at the back post.

Barden thwarted Dion Sembie-Ferris after a corner had fallen to him in the area in the 19th minute.

Midway through the first period, Maidstone went close for the first time.

A right-wing delivery came to the edge of the area and, after a mis-hit effort had fallen kindly to Sol Wanjau-Smith, he forced keeper Aaron Chapman to make a save.

But the hosts went in front shortly after the half-hour mark in somewhat fortunate circumstances. A long-range effort from Bone took a wicked deflection which wrong-footed Chapman in the away goal, who had no chance.

Jimmy Dean’s troops looked for a swift response four minutes later, and Barden pushed a long-range shot by forward Danny Elliott wide to preserve the Stones advantage at half-time.

But, within less than two second-half minutes, the home side’s hard work in the first period had been undone, with Scunthorpe able to equalise.

Sembie-Ferris did really well on the right and dragged back to 32-year-old Butterfield, who found the bottom corner and made it 1-1, much to the delight of the 110 away supporters.

Marshall became the first player to go into referee Aji Ajibola’s book with 63 minutes played.

Josh Shonibare - fresh from scoring his first club goal three days earlier - went for the spectacular with 20 minutes left and saw his long-range strike go narrowly wide.

Four minutes later, The Iron were awarded a controversial free-kick which Alfie Beestin sent over the wall, only for Barden to tip over amid a solid performance.

As the encounter headed into a frantic last 10 minutes, Maidstone’s keeper made two more big blocks to thwart Tom Pugh and then Beestin.

Chapman then made a great fingertip save at the other end to thwart Barham who had glanced a free-kick towards goal.

There was also nearly a dramatic stoppage-time winner for the Stones. But midfielder Sha’mar Lawson volleyed inches over after a long free-kick was only half-cleared.

It remains no league win since November for bottom side Maidstone, although they can take some encouragement from successive 1-1 draws.

Caretaker Stones boss George Elokobi had made two changes from the team which drew with Gateshead last weekend.

Marshall and Tushaun Tyreece-Walters came in for Jerome Binnom-Williams and striker James Alabi, who dropped to the bench.

Ex-Gillingham keeper Chapman started for the visitors.

Maidstone United: Barden, Fowler, Wanjau-Smith (Gurung 83mins), Barham, Marshall (Alabi 69mins), Deacon, Bone, Jobe, Walters (Brown 70mins), Shonibare, Lawson. Subs not used: Mersin, Jeche.

Scunthorpe United: Chapman, Ogle, Elliott (McDonagh 75mins), Beestin, Richards-Everton, Butterfield, Leake, Bunker, Sembie-Ferris (Wilson 65mins), Smith, Pugh. Subs not used: Whitehouse, Boyce, Shields.

Referee: Aji Ajibola.

Attendance: 1,571 (110 away fans).