Maidstone came from a goal down to knock League 2 Macclesfield out of the FA Cup.

United trailed to Ben Stephens’ opener after a poor first-half display.

But they stormed back after the break and reached round two thanks to Jack Powell’s brilliant free-kick and a Blair Turgott penalty, winning £36,000 in prize money.

United were looking to beat Football League opposition for the second year running after last season’s memorable 4-2 victory at Cheltenham.

The Silkmen’s struggles at the foot of League 2 had given Stones fans optimism but Macclesfield were well on top in the first half.

The visitors were one of the best footballing sides in the National League last season and they still looked comfortable on the ball.

Maidstone did them a favour by largely sitting off in the first half but in the likes of the tricky Malachi Napa and Stephens they had some decent players.

They also had big former Sittingbourne frontman Harry Smith to aim for up top but, in fairness, they generally kept the ball on the deck.

Maidstone didn’t manage a single shot - on or off target - in a forgettable first-half performance.

Macclesfield didn’t create much either but led on 14 minutes when Napa shook off Simon Walton and crossed for Stephens who found the top corner from 12 yards.

The second half burst into life with Powell’s equaliser in the 51st minute.

The angle, a few yards in from the touchline, looked best suited to a cross but Powell had other ideas, went for goal and bent in a beauty off the far post.

Maidstone were claiming a goal a minute later when Elliott Romain's header from a Jack Paxman corner appeared to hit the metal strut inside the net and come back out - but the referee decided it must have been the post.

Macclesfield broke straight from that and Grant Smith was forced into a double save from Stephens.

The crowd now had something to shout about, too, and it felt like a non-league team trying to dump a league club out of the FA Cup.

Maidstone were going for it and took the lead in the 69th minute after a foul on Romain gave Turgott a chance from the spot.

Keeper Kieran O’Hara went the right way but Turgott’s low spot-kick went just inside the post.

You’d have expected a response from Macclesfield but they now looked like a fragile side down on their luck.

If anything, Maidstone looked more likely to score again, with Turgott going close near the death.

Maidstone: Smith, Phillips, De Havilland, Finney, McLennan, Powell (Durojaiye 86mins), Walton, Romain, Paxman (Tajbakhsh 75mins), Turgott, Cassidy. Subs not used: Stizovic, Twumasi, Muldoon, Dale, Williams.

Attendance: 2,169 (60 away).