Maidstone have completed the double loan signing of Ross Lafayette and Dean Beckwith from Sutton United.

Stones boss Jay Saunders is a long-time admirer of the pair and has tried to sign both men previously.

Former Gillingham centre-half Beckwith, 34, brings vast experience to the defence and has also played for Hereford, Northampton, Luton and Eastleigh.

Lafayette, meanwhile, is a goalscoring targetman who’s been at Welling and Dover in the National League and Luton in the Football League.

On Beckwith, Saunders said: “Dean’s someone I’ve known a long time.

“Similar to Ross, we’ve spoken in the past about possibly coming here and Dos (Sutton boss Paul Doswell) has been good enough to let us have him.

“We’re leaking goals and he comes in with good experience, knows the level and the level above, he’s a good organiser and will be a really good addition to us.

“We’ve needed to bring some fresh lads in and I’ve said all along I’ll only bring the right ones in.

“If that meant waiting and being patient then that’ll be the case and we’ve certainly been that with Dean and Ross.”

Lafayette is seen as the ideal replacement for Joe Pigott, who’s been sorely missed since joining AFC Wimbledon.

Saunders said: “He’s someone I’ve liked for a long time and I think he’ll be a real bonus to us.

“He’s very different to what we’ve got.

“He’s a strong lad, a big lad and gives us a real focal point there which we’ve maybe lost since Pigs went.

“He’s not just a big battering ram, he’s got good feet, I think we can get goals out of him and he’ll be a good addition to us and someone that knows the league.”