Hakan Hayrettin could hardly have been happier with Maidstone’s performance at Stockport in the FA Trophy quarter-finals.

The Stones were missing a host of players with Jake Robinson, Josh Taylor and Justin Amaluzor cup-tied and Dion Curtis-Henry, George McLennan, Jack Richards and Ollie Muldoon joining Blair Turgott on the sidelines through injury and illness.

They also lost skipper Will De Havilland (glute) in the opening minutes and Elliott Romain (hamstring) in the second half.

In-form County were odds-on favourites to reach the semi-finals, despite playing a division below the Stones, but the visitors dug in for a 1-1 draw.

Head coach Hayrettin said: “It just shows that with the depleted squad we’ve got what a spirit we’re finding within the boys.

“We’re learning about them, it was an unbelievable performance, a great performance from the squad, from a bunch of players that are working really hard.

“We had to make a change in the first five minutes.

“How many more injuries are we going to get? We’re finding out about people and characters and personalities, which was very important.”

Jake Cassidy’s goal was cancelled out by Matthew Warburton to set up a replay at the Gallagher on Tuesday night.

Stockport’s marvellous form included seven straight home wins, with few giving Maidstone a chance against the former Championship outfit who are second in National North and on the charge after a tough few years.

Hayrettin said: “We fought hard, we worked hard, we chased every ball.

“We understand we’re going to a team who are flying very, very high in their league.

“They’re very strong, resilient, have got good pace, one of the best goalkeepers, they’re a decent team and we’ve come here and matched them inch for inch, yard for yard.

“John (Still, manager) has a way of doing things and I have a way of doing things and the players have to pick it up.

“The most important thing is you work hard without the ball. Today they were outstanding.

“I think at one stage when I was just about to say something, John said to me, ‘encourage’, which was right because we’re away from home to a team that’s flying high and we need to fight.

"We fought for every inch, every yard, every scrap, every ball and we could have won the game.

“Michael Phillips went on and had the best chance of the game, didn’t he?”

The semi-final draw takes place tomorrow.

Leyton Orient, AFC Fylde and Telford are the other names in the hat.

Read the match report from Maidstone's 1-1 draw at Stockport