Harry Wheeler claimed his first win as Maidstone boss but is in trouble with his other half after manic transfer dealings.

Wheeler spent all week on the phone trying to strengthen his squad before Saturday’s game at Braintree.

His efforts paid off when the Stones completed five new signings on Friday and won 1-0 - but he’s paying for it at home after turning up late for a wedding.

Victory ended a run of six defeats and moved them out of the National League relegation zone.

Wheeler said: “All the hard work, from Saturday night last week when I was meant to be at a wedding, sitting there on the phone, till literally 5 o’clock yesterday, it was non-stop, so it’s been worth it.

“I got there very late and sat in the corner on my phone, so I wasn’t very sociable at all, but priorities…

“As I said, I live and breathe this.

“I said when I came into the club I’ll give them everything I’ve got.

“I’ve done that this week and I’ll continue to do that.”

All five new lads were involved at Cressing Road with starts for defenders Lawrie Wilson and Jack Doyle and midfielder Olu Durojaiye, while strikers Jake Cassidy and Norman Wabo came off the bench.

Wheeler decided changes had to be made after assessing his squad.

He said: “I tried to build a squad over a week so I tried to get players to balance positions.

“I didn’t want it to be pre-season again where it’s going to take five or six weeks.

“We haven’t got five or six weeks so I tried to get the right characters in that will take on board quickly and get a balance in the squad.

“The five that have come in will all make a difference.

“It’s an amazing effort, I’m not sure my missus is talking to me any more because I’m always on the phone, but it was worth it and we can celebrate this one and not get to carried away.

“There was a lot of ability but there was an immaturity to the squad, a young side to the squad and we just needed to freshen it up.

“Sometimes a fresh manager needs fresh faces, it just freshens the whole place.

“It was as much psychological as it was physical.”

It wasn’t pretty as Wheeler collected his first win but Maidstone took the points with Blair Turgott’s injury-time penalty.

The manager said: “Every club that wins games has got that special lad. If we keep working hard we’ll have two or three.

“Blair’s massive for us. He carries the ball well, we’re dangerous on the counter when Blair’s there so we just have to keep him fit and keep him going.”

Read the match report from Maidstone's win at Braintree