Maidstone United 2 Wealdstone 1

IF IT AIN'T broke don't fix it but Stones boss Gordon Bartlett had no choice to unsettle his winning side on Saturday and they paid a hefty price.

Deprived of the suspended duo of goalkeeper Sean Thomas and commanding defender and captain James Gray, Bartlett was forced to draft in Luke Woods in goal and Carl Martin at the heart of the defence alongside Alan Massey.

And Bartlett believes the enforced changes disrupted his side and cost them the chance of victory and a stranglehold on fifth place.

He said: "There were a few mistakes made especially between Marvin (McCoy) and Carl for the first one, but I was looking for a response to any adversity.

"We got a magnificent response and Greg (Ngoyi) has scored with a great header. Greg was then denied by the goalkeeper's legs and had a flying header, and I thought we would go on to win it.

"However, other than that bright opening 10 minutes we looked lacklustre and tired."

Another concern for Bartlett is a ham-string injury to player of the season contender Alan Massey.

The centre back pulled up after going for a ball he had no right to contest and was replaced by Darren Locke, who is almost certain to start Saturday's home game with Dartford.

"Alan has not been 100 per cent for a few weeks but has battled through," added Bartlett. "He is struggling for Saturday but I expect him to play a part again before the season ends."

Stones fell behind in the 11th minute when Martin lost his footing trying to collect an awkward inside pass from McCoy.

That was all the time lively Meshach Nugent needed and he nipped past Martin to shoot beyond the exposed Woods.

To their credit the visitors regrouped and were soon back on level terms when Ngoyi, one of the smallest play-ers on the pitch, rose majestically to head home.

The striker was then thwarted by United keeper Andy Walker and should have fired the Stones ahead on the stroke of half-time, but his flying header just whizzed wide of the target.

The injured Massey then made way for Locke after 55 minutes and Stones started to fast run out of ideas and momentum as Maidstone upped the ante.

And they got their reward when Nugent got the better of Locke before firing past Woods for his second of the afternoon.

Danny Spendlove and Ben Clarke were then introduced to the visitors but neither were able to make a telling contribution as the game fizzled out.

Wealdstone: Woods, McCoy, Chap-pell, Martin, Massey, Ashe,Forbes, O'Leary,Alexander,Ngoyi, Hicks.