Regan Booty scored twice but Maidstone lost at home to Altrincham in the National League.

Booty’s penalty cancelled out Josh Lundstram’s opener as United emerged level from a poor first half.

The visitors opened up a 3-1 advantage with further goals from Connor Jennings and Chris Conn-Clarke before Booty’s late second kept United in contention.

Maidstone handed a debut to midfielder Sha’mar Lawson, who’s joined on a month’s loan from Millwall.

But another Lions loanee, goalkeeper Ryan Sandford, could only sit and watch after dislocating his shoulder at Woking last weekend, with Yusuf Mersin taking his place.

Sandford briefly appeared on the pitch, though, to collect the November player-of-the-month award.

Maidstone struggled to get going in a flat first half that saw Altrincham on top for most of it.

The visitors had lots of joy getting at Maidstone down the right, carving out several decent chances.

A goal looked inevitable as pressure built and it arrived in the 20th minute.

Captain Toby Mullarkey brought the ball forward and fed Elliott Newby, whose cross was controlled and finished by Lundstram for a neat opener.

A poor pass threatened to let Jack Barham in on goal for Maidstone but the chance disappeared, and only a superb goalline clearance by Joe Ellul denied Altrincham a second after Newby set up Conn-Clarke.

Maidstone needed a lift and they got it in the form of a penalty, awarded for handball shortly before half-time.

Referee James Durkin pointed to the spot on the advice of his linesman and Booty confidently converted as Maidstone made it 1-1 in the 43rd minute.

Barham drove over from distance early in the second half as United upped their intensity and, soon after, a cracking Roarie Deacon strike from 20 yards hit the underside of the bar.

Atrincham hit back with Mersin - man-of-the-match when these sides met on the opening day - making an excellent low save to touch Lundstram’s shot past the post.

The visitors went on to regain the lead in the 64th minute, with the dangerous Mullarkey getting down the right and squaring for Jennings to bundle in on the goalline.

Ellul’s thumping header from Deacon’s corner was well-saved by Chris Byrne and desperate defending saw Deacon’s shot blocked as United looked for a second leveller.

But Altrincham were happy to commit men forward on the break and added their third in the 73rd minute, with Conn-Clarke collecting Ryan Colclough’s pass and firing past Mersin with the aid of a deflection off Ellul.

Some fans had seen enough and headed for the exits, even with a good chunk of time left.

They missed Maidstone’s second goal as Booty gave Hakan Hayrettin’s side hope with a low finish in the box in the 85th minute after picking up Ellul’s pass.

That was his sixth goal of the season and leaves him two clear of Barham as the Stones’ top scorer.

Maidstone: Mersin, Fowler, Ellul, Binnom-Williams, Lawson (Ghandour 79mins), Booty, Corne, Pattisson (Fawole 66mins), Barham, Deacon. Subs not used: Earle, Galvin, Lyons-Foster.

Altrincham: Byrne, Jones, Marriott, Mullarkey, Baines, Lundstram, Colclough, Conn-Clarke (Jackson 83mins), Jones, Newby, Jennings. Subs not used: Hulme, Osborne, Pringle, Dinanga.

Referee: James Durkin.

Attendance: 1,730 (32 away).