Maidstone fans could have been forgiven for thinking they were seeing double on Tuesday night.

United finished with two brothers on the pitch against Hastings when 18-year-old Sam Flisher came on for his debut alongside older brother Alex.

It was the first time the siblings had played together since the days of their childhood kickabouts in the garden.

Sam said: “I found out I was playing on Monday night. I had an academy game and Jay Saunders is a coach there. I got taken off and he said “are you available for tomorrow night?” I couldn’t say no.

“It was good to get the experience after watching Alex play for the last couple of years and seeing how the club’s transformed. I’ve been watching them for the last three or four years.”

Alex, 21, also came through the club’s youth system and his rise to first-team regular should provide encouragement for his brother.

He said: “We kicked each other in the garden but that’s the first competitive game we’ve played together. It was a good experience.”