In-form Jephte Tanga will spend the rest of the season with Maidstone, boss George Elokobi has confirmed.

Forward Tanga joined the Stones on loan from Leyton Orient in January, having started the campaign at Welling.

He couldn’t play in the FA Cup, having already turned out for the Wings, but has been making up for lost time with his performances in National League South.

The 19-year-old has been involved in Maidstone’s last four goals, scoring the winner at Dover and providing assists for Mo Faal, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Matt Rush as Elokobi’s men drew 2-2 with Bath before losing 2-1 to St Albans.

“He’s been excellent - he’s here until the end of the season,” said Elokobi, whose side meet second-placed Chelmsford at the Gallagher Stadium tonight.

“We know why we bring certain players to our football club, to add a bit of value to our team to ensure they can bring certain things that we haven’t quite got in the environment.

“It’s about his quality on the ball, and he’s a good ball-carrier, but also the work ethic out of possession is important as well and he does both sides of the game, offensively and defensively.

“When he gets in the final third it’s about that composure.

“Can he pick someone out or can he score and he’s been doing that consistently.

“The FA Cup did him a disservice but he’s getting better and better and it’s a good thing for us.”

It made sense all round to extend Tanga’s loan.

Elokobi added: “When we bring players in they need to feel and sense our environment to ensure that they like it and if they do, we will speak with their parent club.

“If a player enjoys it and they enjoy the structure here, why not do it until the end of the season?

“He loves the environment, he’s enjoying his football, he’s enjoying the development that’s taking place here in terms of his learning.

“He’s a young man that’s learning a lot and what’s not to love about Maidstone United Football Club?”

Elokobi feels Tanga has the quality to play first-team football at Leyton Orient.

There’s more to it than that but Maidstone will help him as much as they can.

Elokobi said: “It’s not for me to predict - it’s all down to the individual.

“In terms of talent, he’s got the ability.

“It’s also the desire, the commitment, the sacrifices you make as an individual and that’s the most important thing we look at.

“As players you’ve got to be committed, full-on, 100%, but I must say he’s a great lad, he has a good appetite for the game but he’s also very disciplined and a humble young man.

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him but it’s down to the individual.”

Maidstone have dropped a place to ninth in the table following Aveley’s 2-1 win over Tonbridge last night.

They’re two points outside the play-off places.