Jay Saunders felt the early first goal was crucial as Maidstone won at FC Halifax on Tuesday night.

Stones were back up north three days after their wasted trip to AFC Fylde, when the game was abandoned.

Another long journey might have taken its toll but Joe Pigott's 15th-minute goal gave them the perfect start and Jai Reason clinched a 2-0 victory from the penalty spot.

Stones boss Saunders said: "We’ve had two long trips and it takes a lot out of you, especially Tuesday.

“We left at 12 o’clock, we got there at half six and only had one 20-minute stop because of traffic.

“It’s one of them where you get off the coach and think ‘how’s it going to go?’ but the boys were excellent.

“On trips like that I just think the first goal is so important. If you get it you’ll be OK.

“Mentally you’re then up for it and it gives you that extra bit of energy.

“If you concede the first goal it always makes it tougher for you but we were well worth the three points.

“I thought we were excellent. We managed the game really well, defended really well and limited them to two long-range shots."

Maidstone dropped to 13th after the Fylde abandonment but are back up to 10th, only six points behind new leaders Dover with a game in hand.

Saunders said: "After our game getting called off on Saturday it was really important we got three points because, where this league is so tight, if we’d lost all of a sudden you start dropping down the league, which is crazy considering we’ve done all right this season.”