Head coach Hakan Hayrettin feels Maidstone are on to something after climbing into the play-off places for the first time this season.

They're seventh going into Saturday's trip to a Hampton & Richmond side who have moved off the foot of National League South with three straight wins.

The Stones conceded a late equaliser at Braintree on Tuesday but have lost just two of their last 16 games in league and cup.

Hayrettin said: "Listen, it's a fantastic run - two defeats in 16 games.

"There's a good togetherness, good belief, the players are working hard for us and we've got the third best defensive record in the league.

"We're not the finished article but we're getting there slowly and we need this good run to continue.

"We said it would be a slow start.

"Teams me and John (Still, head of football) have worked with together haven't always started the sharpest.

"We've not always been on the front foot and got early points on the board but wherever we've been, we've slowly gained momentum.

• Hak to the future

"We know we need to keep doing the right things to get results."

Midfielder Ross Marshall was sent off against Braintree but he's free to face Hampton as, unlike in the National League, bans don't kick in until a week later.

That means he'll miss the FA Cup first-round tie against Torquay instead.

It was his second dismissal in three games and while Maidstone won an appeal against the first, Hayrettin may need to have a chat with the former Ipswich youngster.

"He's gone in for a 50:50, the ref's given a foul and it's a second yellow," said Hayrettin.

"He's committed to the challenge but he's been sent off twice now and we need to have a look at that because it didn't help our cause.

"If he'd stayed on the pitch we'd have won the game."

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