Former Maidstone manager Harry Wheeler won on his return to the Gallagher with St Albans.

Wheeler - head coach under Jon Meakes at the Hertfordshire club - saw his side run out 2-1 winners.

Victory moved them above the Stones into the National League South play-off places while the hosts, who had George Fowler sent off at a goal down, slip to eighth.

Shaun Jeffers and Gio Rasulo put the visitors in charge, with Matt Rush pulling a goal back.

Paul Appiah - he made his debut in the reverse fixture - and Lamar Reynolds came into starting XI as George Elokobi made two changes from the midweek draw against Bath.

Raphe Brown and Bivesh Gurung dropped to the bench.

Maidstone had a decent chance in just the second minute when Reiss Greenidge lost his man from a Sam Corne free-kick but Michael Johnson made the save.

It may have been a different game had that gone in but, as it was, Maidstone struggled to get going.

Neither side had looked great - it was all a bit pedestrian - but the opening goal went the visitors’ way in the 22nd minute.

Jake Burger played a clever pass into the path of top scorer Jeffers, who rolled the ball beyond Lucas Covolan.

St Albans skipper Joe Partington, just booked for a foul on Matt Rush, was fortunate to escape a second caution after taking out Chi Ezennolim two minutes later.

Referee Ayrton Hursey let him off with a final warning.

From running the risk of going down to 10, the visitors found themselves with a man advantage soon after, with Fowler shown a straight red card for a challenge on Zane Banton in the 42nd minute.

It was a committed tackle from a centre-back with eyes only for the ball but Hursey felt it was dangerous and Fowler was off.

Replays may prove otherwise but it looked harsh.

Covolan denied Rasulo early in the second half after Dom Hutchinson eased past the Stones defence.

Mo Faal threatened for the hosts after skipper Corne won possession but St Albans went two up on 58 minutes.

Banton found Rasulo and he lifted the ball over Covolan to double the visitors’ lead.

St Albans were in now in control, moving the ball well against the 10 men and looking a good bet to add to their lead.

Ben Smith missed the target from Burger’s pass but there was hope for Maidstone in the 76th minute when Jephte Tanga’s cross was squeezed in at the far post by Rush.

The goal lifted both the team and the crowd and there was suddenly a bit of belief around the Gallagher that Maidstone could yet get something out of the game.

They got balls in the box in search of an equaliser while the Stones bench were up in arms when the flag went up against Rush when through on goal in the last minute of the 90.

Maidstone: Covolan, Appiah, Fowler, Greenidge, Reynolds, Corne, Berkeley-Agyepong, Ezennolim (Brown 65mins), Tanga, Faal (Sole 65mins), Rush. Subs not used: Earle, Gurung, Court.

St Albans: Johnson, James (Wiltshire 55mins), Brown, Smith, Rasulo, Jeffers (Weiss 71mins), Banton, Partington (Clark 75mins), Hutchinson, Francis-Clarke, Burger. Subs not used: Bowry, Mensah.

Referee: Ayrton Hursey.

Attendance: 2,246.