Hakan Hayrettin says Maidstone will appeal Gavin Hoyte’s “game-changing” red card in their 5-2 defeat at Eastleigh.

United were winning 2-1 when captain Hoyte was dismissed following a coming together with Tristan Abrahams, who scored the resulting penalty.

Hayrettin wasn’t convinced it was a penalty at the time and, having watched it back on the way home, his suspicions were confirmed.

“It’s not a penalty,” said the Stones boss. “There’s two fouls on Gavin, it should be a free-kick to us.

“Gavin should clear his lines once he’s got in front of him but it’s not a penalty.

“That’s killed us. It’s changed the game. We’ll appeal.”

Maidstone found themselves in front at half-time for the first time this season as goals from Ryan Galvin and Reiss Greenidge overturned Eastleigh’s opener.

Hayrettin bravely kept two up front after they went down to 10 men but Eastleigh took the game away from them.

The Stones remain 22nd in the National League, a point from safety, after a 12th game without a win.

Hayrettin was left wondering what might have been, particularly with Josh Fawole going close to a third either side of half-time.

He said: “I can’t fault the effort and desire. I think it would have been a different game if we’d had 11 on the pitch. They took advantage of that and moved the ball quickly.

“If Josh scores it’s 3-1 but the sending-off has changed the game for us completely.

“I think we were in control up to that point. It wasn’t a hammering. The boys gave a good account of themselves but the sending-off has killed us.

“When you go down to 10 men, sometimes you can stick at it and grind out a result or sometimes you come undone. We came undone.

“I decided to leave two up because it wasn’t a one-sided game, was it?

“Even with 10 men we had a go, we just can’t defend.

“We defended ever so well against Solihull last week (0-0 draw) and tonight there were periods in the first half where we haven’t done as well as we could have.

• Report: Eastleigh 5-2 Maidstone

"First 15-20 minutes I don’t think certain players were doing their jobs but we ground it out, we worked hard and we were the better team, and we started well in the second half, up until the sending-off.

“I still think Gavin’s got to do better there and clear the ball but it shouldn’t have been a penalty.”

Maidstone announced the loan signing of Crawley winger Zaid Al-Hussaini before the game.

He wasn’t in the squad last night but is someone Hayrettin rates highly.

He impressed playing for Chippenham against the Stones towards the end of last season before going off injured.

Hayrettin said: “He’s got good feet and plenty of ability. He’s someone we’ve got to look at and get him a little bit fitter. He was at Derby and then Crawley, so he’s got pedigree.”