Maidstone held on to top spot in the Ryman League Premier Division despite a 4-1 thumping at Harrow Borough on Saturday afternoon.

They are still ahead of Dulwich Hamlet on goal difference after the Londoners lost 2-1 to Canvey Island.

United weren't as bad as the scoreline suggests but ultimately paid the price for shabby first-half defending that left them 3-1 down at the break.

And it would have been worse had Lee Worgan not saved a penalty from Simeon Akinola following a handball by Jack Parkinson.

Maidstone threw men forward in the second half, with Frannie Collin hitting the bar from a free-kick and seeing a goal ruled out for offside before Harrow, who remained a big threat on the break, added an injury-time fourth.

United's defence - still missing the organisation of injured captain Steve Watt - parted as Akinola fired Boro in front in the eighth minute.

Unmarked Collin missed a simple chance in the six-yard box but made amends by meeting Alex Brown's cross as United levelled after half an hour.

Worgan went the right way to keep out a low penalty from Akinola a couple of minutes later.

But the Stones keeper had no chance with Harold Odemetey's 30-yard wonder strike as Boro regained the lead on 36 minutes.

Stones felt Elliott Cox was fouled by Akinola as Boro broke but the quality of the strike from Odemetey had even Maidstone fans applauding.

Boro saw a second penalty appeal for handball against Parkinson turned down before extending their lead in first-half injury-time when Akinola, played onside by Cox, rounded Worgan and found the empty net.

Fuming Parkinson ripped into Cox after the goal and, with the half-time whistle sounding seconds later, the debate looked set to continue in the dressing room.

Maidstone had the best of the second half but found home keeper James Shea in excellent form and he deserved his luck when he sat on the ball to keep out a Collin shot at the second attempt.

Inevitably Harrow were dangerous on the break as Stones chased the game and it needed Worgan to keep them in the hunt.

Collin controversially had a goal ruled out for offside when the ball broke to him from Alex Flisher's shot.

With that went United hopes of salvaging a point and they were finished off when Boro broke at the end of five minutes' injury-time and added their fourth through Victor Osobu.

Maidstone: Worgan, Cox, Mills, Brown, Andrews (Robertson 67mins), Rooney, Woolery (Campbell 84mins), J Parkinson, Attwood, Collin, Flisher. Subs not used: Sobers, D Parkinson, Godmon.

Attendance:

264