Maidstone continued their strong start to the National South season with victory at Oxford City.

Roarie Deacon and Joan Luque put Hakan Hayrettin’s side in charge at Marsh Lane against a City side who thrashed Bath 5-1 on Bank Holiday Monday.

The hosts replied in injury time through Josh Ashby but Regan Booty made sure of the points with Maidstone’s third.

Christie Pattisson returned up front in place of Alfie Pavey and Jerome Binnom-Williams came in at left-back after Raphe Brown failed a fitness test as Hayrettin made two changes to the side who drew at Hampton.

United had to make another switch when Joe Ellul suffered what looked a nasty ankle injury in just the fifth minute.

The big centre-half landed awkwardly after jumping for a header and, after five minutes’ treatment, he was stretched off and Taylor Curran came on for his Stones debut.

The new-look back four defended well in a first half of few chances, led by skipper George Elokobi, who headed and kicked everything that came his way to snuff out City.

Maidstone were neat and tidy in midfield, Booty and Jake Gallagher keeping things nice and simple and bringing widemen Luque and Deacon into play.

The visitors opened the scoring from the first chance of the game with Binnom-Williams standing up a lovely cross to the back post for Deacon to head home his second goal in as many games in the 22nd minute.

Dominic Odusanya saw a header from Deacon’s corner saved on the line as Maidstone went close to a second, while Oxford’s best opening of the half saw defender Dan Matsuzaka plant a free header from a corner straight at Tom Hadler.

George Harman worked Hadler from the edge of the area at the start of the second half.

But Maidstone doubled their lead in the 65th minute - and it was all down to desire of Pattisson to win the ball near the byline before crossing low to the far post where Luque couldn’t miss.

The Stones had a good chance five minutes from time when the ball broke to substitute Pavey midway in the Oxford half.

He got away from his man and went through on goal but Ben Dudzinski got down to make the save.

Another opening followed in added time when Pattisson attempted to lift the ball over Dudzisnki but the City keeper stuck up an arm at full stretch to keep the ball out.

Ashby pulled one back in the third minute of added time, finishing across Hadler.

But Maidstone clinched the points in the final seconds when Pavey squared for Booty to finish.

Maidstone: Hadler, Hoyte, Ellul (Curran 9mins), Elokobi, Binnom-Williams, Gallagher, Booty, Odusanya (Phillips 68mins), Deacon, Luque (Pavey 73mins), Pattisson. Subs not used: McGlashan, Johnson.

Attendance: 603.

Referee: Greg Rollason.

Read more: The latest sports news in Kent