Maidstone dropped into the National League bottom four despite Roarie Deacon's 90th-minute equaliser against FC Halifax.

Deacon's goal ended a run of four successive defeats but results elsewhere mean United drop into the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Substitute Mani Dieseruvwe had put the Shaymen ahead in the second half, with Deacon salvaging a point at the death.

This was a battle of the division’s lowest scorers against the leakiest defence, Halifax having found the net just eight times in 12 games and the Stones conceding 29.

The Shaymen looked like a side short on confidence in front of goal - no lack of effort but pretty toothless - with the hosts’ defence, featuring debutant Jacob Mensah, barely tested.

The visitors had an early sniff when Jamie Cooke’s through ball sent Kian Spence through on goal but Yusuf Mersin - restored to the side with Tom Hadler out of the squad entirely - was sharply off his line.

And there was a half-chance at the end of the half after Ryan Galvin lost the flight of the ball but Mersin made a comfortable stop at his near post from Cooke.

Maidstone popped the ball about in the visitors’ half, Regan Booty pulling the strings, without really threatening to break the deadlock.

Jack Barham’s shot from the edge of the box was saved after James Alabi held up the ball well and laid it off to Booty.

Then, shortly before the break, Galvin and Roarie Deacon combined effectively out wide to set up Booty but his first-time effort when well-placed cleared the bar.

A quickly-taken free-kick out of defence opened up Maidstone at the start of the second half, Rob Harker’s attempted lob dealt with by the back-pedalling Mersin.

The Shaymen went ahead in the 66th minute, with Dieseruvwe - just on as a substitute - getting the goal.

It was a scruffy one to concede, with the ball trickling over the line after the former Salford man stuck out a long leg.

The Stones had two big penalties shouts waved away as they searched for an equaliser - referee Gary Parsons standing firm amid strong appeals from the Genco Stand.

Joe Ellul headed wide from a tight angle after meeting Booty’s free-kick moving into the last 10 minutes but a clear-cut opening continued to elude the home side, with Halifax getting virtually everyone behind the ball.

Persistence paid off, however, with Deacon forcing home the equaliser in the final minute of normal time after Sam Corne's shot was blocked.

Maidstone: Mersin, Hoyte, Ellul, Mensah, Galvin, Corne, Barkers (Odusanya 53mins), Booty, Deacon, Barham (Fawole 75mins, Alabi (Pattisson 64mins). Subs not used: Earle, Ghandour.

FC Halifax: Johnson, Golden, Senior, Summerfield, Debrah, Clarke, Hunter, Spence, Cooke (Smart 89mins), Slew (Ali 72mins), Harker (Dieseruvwe 64mins). Subs not used: Arthur, Gilmour.

Referee: Gary Parsons.

Attendance: 2,397 (68 away).