New Season, New Maidstone As Horror Run Is Over

They wouldn’t have been punching the air with quite such force if they hadn’t been waiting for it for quite some time.

The Stones claimed their first three points since November this weekend, a run which stretches back 25 games and nine difficult months which of course saw them relegated without a whimper.

By defeating Slough Town 2-1, they laid a ghost to rest and the National League South champions of two years ago returned to the division they love with a winning start.

Manager George Elokobi always knew that only togetherness could cast a sorry 2022-23 season aside.

He dedicated the victory to the club’s supporters who went from the high of that title win to being doomed with winter still chilling their bones.

“It was all about trying to forget those 25 league losses and we’ve stopped that,” he told the club’s video player. “It’s nine months since we won a league game so we need to look at these new steps we’re taking forward.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect start, but you always want to begin with a positive. We did that.

“We knew it would be a stern test, they’re a good side. This is a new bunch of players, it’s about being resilient when you’re not at your best to try and get something out of the game.

“If you do that, imagine when you start to play well! It was all abut starting off with a positive result and we’ve done that.”

He went on: “It’s the first day of the season, you will always be shocked by the results across the country.

“We didn’t shout and scream at half-time, and that gave us a platform. We knew there was more in us and tried to give the players the tactical points to go out and get the first goal - as soon as we did, we knew it was a matter of time before we got the second.”