Joe Healy's classy finish and substitute Alex Akrofi's late close-range header sealed Maidstone's winning start in Vanarama National South in this "battle of the plastic" at Gander Green Lane.

Joint-owners Oliver Ash and Terry Casey were there, with a big away following making the trip to Surrey swelling the crowd to more than 1,300, on a warm sunny afternoon.

Healy, a summer signing from Kent rivals Welling, brought a quiet second half to life with the opener after 61 minutes.

He exchanged passes with Frannie Collin, before volleying home a perfect 25-yard lob which flew over home keeper Ross Worner into the net.

Lee Worgan then made two important saves to keep Stones in front before Akrofi, a late replacement for Collin, made the points save by converting Jay May's deep cross from the left.

Stones endured a tough start to life in their new surroundings, conceding six corners in the opening 16 minutes.

Sutton's Ross Stearn fired against Worgan's right-hand post, and the keeper then had to move quickly to keep out Kevin Amankwaah's follow-up.

Worgan earlier had to push away another goalbound effort from Stearn, while Jay May's left-foot strike and Collin's stab wide were Stones' best early efforts.

Bobby Joe-Taylor blasted over just after the half-hour when Callum Driver's cross eluded Matt Bodkin and May inside the six-yard box.

Sutton keeper Ross Worner then had a lucky escape, racing off his line, only to fluff his clearance. Collin skipped past him, only to find nobody with his cross into the area.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Parry, Watt, Mills, Bodkin, Brown (Rogers 83mins), Healy, Joe-Taylor,(Pinnock 80 mins) Collin (Akrofi 69mins), May. Subs not used: Coyle, Paxman Attendance: 1,309.