Ross Marshall’s own goal saw Maidstone beaten at National South strugglers St Albans.

Marshall turned a cross into his own net just past the hour mark as City edged a forgettable match at Clarence Park.

Victory boosted their survival hopes and they deserved to win with Maidstone strangely off the pace all afternoon.

Noah Chesmain pulled out through illness - the first game he’s missed this season - which meant Dan Wishart dropping to full-back and a start for Justin Amaluzor.

That was the only change from the midweek draw with Hemel while new signing Andre Boucaud was named on the bench.

Neither keeper made a save in a first half that never got going.

The Stones had a couple of potential openings, James Kaloczi making a key interception from Gavin Hoyte’s cross to deny Ibby Akanbi a tap-in, then Tom Bender took the ball off Hoyte’s head as he came in at the far stick to meet Iffy Allen’s centre.

Wishart, who went on to pick up his ninth booking of the season, put a free-kick over that was very much in Chesmain territory.

The best chance of the first fell to the Saints with Amaluzor - not best-known his tackling - pulling off a terrific goal-saving challenge on Zane Banton who’d been played in David Noble.

Veteran Jefferson Louis won a header from Munashe Sundire’s cross towards half-time but Banton hooked over.

Saidou Khan forced the first save of the match 10 minutes into the second half.

But St Albans took the lead in the 61st minute when substitute Rodhell Gordon beat Wishart down the right and saw his cross turned in by Marshall for an own goal.

Maidstone introduced Boucaud for his debut and he was followed by Ibrahim Olutade, seeing his first action since returning from his loan spell at Leatherhead.

It was one of those days for the Stones, though, who never looked like scoring.

Indeed, they should have gone two down with three minutes left when Gordon laid a goal on a plate for Louis but the grounded Knight made a desperate block and substitute Solomon Nwaboukei somehow failed to put the rebound away.

Maidstone: Lewington, Hoyte, Knight, Elokobi, Wishart, Marshall (Olutade 76mins), Temelci, Khan, Amaluzor, Akanbi, Allen (Boucaud 65mins). Subs not used: Ribbins, Kamdjo, Freeman.

Attendance: 683.