An inspired performance from keeper Andy Walker held Maidstone United to keep Sutton United out on Saturday.

The visitors played the final half hour with 10 men after debutant Chris Saunders was sent off for a harsh second yellow card.

But Sutton had been out of luck in the first half when appeals for a penalty were rejected after Jermaine Darlington had flicked the ball away from Steve Watts’ head with his hand.

On the balance of play, United should have won comfortably and Kevin Scriven had little to do other than ensure he was in the right place to save second-half volleys from Ant Bodle and Lyndon Rowland, whose two goals had beaten Sutton at The Homelands in November.

As good a chance as any for Sutton came in the first five minutes when a Hann cross ran all the way through to Danny Phillips, but he pulled a low left foot shot across goal.

Much of the rest of the half was an undistinguished and at times frenetic scramble in unhelpful conditions of an uneven and lively pitch and a cold wind.

Just after the half hour, United almost broke through when Hann’s free kick was met by Watts’ powerful diving header, and Walker dived to his left to make an outstanding save.

Moments later, another Hann free kick was glanced wide by Bradley Woods-Garness, and as United finished the half strongly they appealed for penalties twice in a minute.

First, they thought the ball might have hit a Maidstone hand as it bounced around following a Billy Hawes long throw.

Then, more plausibly, Darlington waved his hand, easily identifiable by its glove, at another Hann cross and appeared to make contact to tip the ball off Watts’ head.

Referee Elliott Kaye waved away the appeals on both occasions.

Maidstone, who having lost leading scorer James Pinnock to Margate earlier in the week had to replace their other main source of goals, Danny Hockton, before half time.

But they created their first real chance just after James Hawes allowed a crossfield pass from Saunders to drift over his head, but Ant Bodle’s volley was straight at Scriven.

Woods-Garness might have done better when he stabbed the ball over the top after a Billy Hawes long throw had come through a crowd of players, before the visitors were soon forced in to more changes.

Saunders picked up a booking for a heavy challenge on Phillips, and then two minutes later saw a second yellow card for an innocuous foul on Francis Quarm, who seemed to be struggling to stay on his feet even before Saunders’ challenge came in.

It could have been worse for Stones, as Watts drilled the resulting free kick past the wall and Walker had to touch the ball round the post.

They also temporarily found themselves down to nine men as intended substitute Steve Elliott had to adjust his kit before replacing Charlie Stimpson, who had already left the pitch and had to wait to be allowed back on until Elliott had sorted himself out.

Apart from one moment when Darlington beat Karim El-Salahi and crossed for Rowland to volley straight at Scriven, and another scare when, despite the man disadvantage, Maidstone found themselves with a three-on-one counter attack wasted by an overhit pass that Scriven was able to collect, United spent much of the rest of the game battering away unsuccessfully at the Maidstone defence.

The best chance fell to Jason Goodliffe, still upfield following a set piece, when Roland Edge miscued his clearance and left Goodliffe clear with just Walker to beat, but with time to weigh up his options United’s skipper went for a volley from 25 yards that flew just wide of Walker’s left hand post.

Watts headed wide from one Hann cross, Sam Gargan’s header from another was well saved by Walker, and in a last desperate attack Billy Hawes’ long throw caused a scramble that ended with Gargan’s shot blocked and Sonny Cobbs’ follow-up header tipped over the bar by Walker.

Sutton: K Scriven, B Hawes, J Hawes, J Goodliffe, K El-Salahi, S McKimm (sub S Cobbs 59), M Hann, F Quarm, S Watts, D Phillips (sub S Gargan 59), B Woods-Garness (sub C Taylor 67). Subs n/u, S Perkins, A Joseph. Booked: Cobbs (81-foul), Gargan(87-foul).

Maidstone: A Walker, A Ulph, J Darlington, R Edge, P Hawkins, A Bodle, c Stone, C Saunders, C Stimpson (sub S Elliott 66), D Hockton (sub L Rowland 36), A Gonnella (sub D Hernandez-Bradshaw 62) . Subs n/u A Tiesse, R Knell. Booked: Saunders (58-foul). Sent Off: Saunders (60-foul-second bookable offence).

Referee: E Kaye (Hainault) Attendance: 654