Maidstone's hopes of turning their season around diminished further with a 17-14 home defeat to Thanet Wanderers on Saturday.

Sam Bailey started in the front row, Rob Pankhurst was restored to hooker and with Steve Matthews back in the second row, the Maidstone pack had a more familiar look about it.

Maidstone put early pressure on the visitors but Thanet – a place above them in London 1 South – battered their way through for a converted try from their first attack.

Only good defence kept Maidstone in the game as they lost lineouts and scrums but just when Thanet looked like extending their lead, Maidstone hit back.

Nick Sargent took a quick tap in his own 22 and broke inside the Thanet half where Mike Molloy fed Neil Graves, who dummied his way through to score, with Molloy adding the extras.

The visitors took the initiative to score again on the half hour, turning the ball over and spreading the ball to the blind side where their winger chipped ahead and gathered to touch down another converted try to make it 14-7 at the break.

Thanet extended their lead with a penalty but Mark Ryan burst through and fed Ben Cleary to pull back a try, with Molloy converting, but Maidstone could not find a further score.