The nature of Eastbourne’s winner was the biggest frustration for Maidstone boss Jay Saunders on Saturday.

Stones went from wasting a corner at one end to conceding the only goal seconds later as Nathan Collier ran through unopposed to meet Gavin McCallum’s pass.

It was their first away defeat in National League South and saw them drop from fifth place to 13th ahead of Chelmsford’s visit on Bank Holiday Monday.

Saunders, who's closing in on a new signing, said: “I think the goal we’ve conceded is the most frustrating thing for me. It’s a bad goal really.

“It’s come from us over-hitting the corner, it goes out for a throw and they’ve broke and the fella’s just been allowed to wander through into the box and score.

“You’d come here and take a 0-0 without playing well but that’s the difference in the league.

“It doesn’t matter how hard you work, what effort you put in, if you don’t take your chances, you’re going to get punished.”

Simon Johnson was handed a start against his old club in place of Joe Healy, who was at a family wedding.

Saunders felt his summer signing did well on a testing day for midfielders.

The manager said: “He worked very hard. It wasn’t the prettiest game in there. It was quite a battle.

“Out all the games we’ve played I think that’s probably been the biggest battle.

“There’s been some good football played in the other games and I thought today was a good old-fashioned non-league battle.

“I think he probably had half an idea he’d be playing because of knowing Joe was away.

“When you bring a lad back to his old club, it’s always nice to get a win so for him, so I’m sure he’ll be disappointed.”

Saunders expects captain Steve Watt to miss the Chelmsford game after suffering a bad cut above his eye in an injury-time clash of heads.

That could mean a start for player-coach Jamie Coyle, while there’s a decision to make in midfield with Healy available.

Does Saunders give Johnson and Alex Brown another go or bring Healy straight back?

He said: “Joe’s been very good for us and I thought at times, and this isn’t aimed at Johnno, we lacked that little bit of composure in midfield that Joe offers us. Johnno did other things that Joe won’t do.”