Jordan Higgs scored an extraordinary equaliser deep into added time as Tonbridge earned a draw against Maidstone.

Higgs’ thumping first-time volley, after meeting a clearing header, flew into the top corner in the 94th minute.

Matt Rush gave Maidstone a second-half lead in part one of the Christmas and New Year double header but Angels’ persistence paid off with their late wonder goal in front of a record Longmead attendance of 2,806.

Kick-off was delayed 15 minutes while a bumper crowd finished making their way in.

Angels boss Jay Saunders was given a warm reception by travelling fans on his first time managing against his old club as he made his way to the home dugout.

The other interesting sideshow was the battle between Angels striker Jordan Greenidge and brother Reiss, the Stones centre-half.

Angels thumped Dartford 4-0 in their last home game but derbies that one-sided are the exception rather than the rule.

This was more what you’d expect, tight and cagey, with neither side truly able to impose themselves.

Maidstone got into some good areas, forcing three corners in the opening four minutes, a tally that reached eight before half-time. Tonbridge, though, defended them well.

Angels weren’t able to get Sean Shields into the game as much as they’d have liked in the first half but Mo Dabre was a threat with his direct running down the opposite flank.

It was a Dabre cross, after running on to Asu Janneh’s pass that threatened to unlock the away defence for the first time but it went just over Jordan Greenidge’s head.

Maidstone went on to have a couple of efforts from distance, Harry Kyprianou skimming the side-netting after combining with Sol Wanjau-Smith, while George Fowler went close with a decent strike after meeting a loose ball.

At the other end, another good ball from Janneh released Greenidge, who beat his brother, but a miscued cross was dealt with by Stones keeper Lucas Covolan at his near post.

Maidstone broke the deadlock in the 57th minute.

Kyprianou got away down the left and his cross was turned in at the near post by Rush.

Tonbridge carved out a good chance to level when Shields fed Jernade Meade but his cross was headed over by Dabre when well placed to score.

Meade went on to bend a decent effort narrowly wide from a Shields pass as Tonbridge kept pushing.

Maidstone appeared to have seen them off but Higgs changed all that at the death.

A skirmish in front of the away dugout followed as Tonbridge celebrated the equaliser, leading to a second yellow card for Stones defender Raphe Brown, who’d been substituted minutes earlier.

Stones boss George Elokobi said it was a case of mistaken identity.

Tonbridge: Henly, Hinds, Sutcliffe, Lyons-Foster, Meade, Gard, Higgs, Janneh (Mampolo 84mins), Dabre, Greenidge (Yeboah 78mins), Shields. Subs not used: Gibb, French, Vowles.

Maidstone: Covolan, Brown (Hoyte 84mins), Fowler, Greenidge, Kyprianou, Bone, Corne, Berkeley-Agyepong, Abraham (Petrasso 79mins), Rush, Wanjau-Smith (Coleman De-Graft 72mins). Subs not used: Appiah, Earle.

Referee: Nick Dunn.

Attendance: 2,806.