Louie Theophanous scored another spectacular thunderbolt at Clarence Park on Saturday but Maidstone United boosted their National League South title aspirations with a hard-earned 2-1 victory that ended St Albans City’s four-match winning run.

Although results generally did not go too badly for St Albans in their gripping bid to beat the drop this reversal against Jay Saunders high-flying Stones has certainly dented City’s survival hopes.

Saints boss Ian Allison had warned his side about conceding early goals but the warning went unheeded as Maidstone clinched their first victory at the Park for 54 years with strikes early in either half.

Perhaps sensing City’s unease early on Maidstone went in search of a quick goal.

Joe Healy sent an excellent ball through the middle of the home defence that Alex Akrofi latched onto and shot low but was thwarted by the outstretched legs of goalkeeper Joe Welch. Vas Karagiannis collected the rebound outside the penalty area but curled his shot comfortably wide.

Three minutes later, the eighth, and Maidstone were on the way to completing their first double over the Saints since the 1962-63 season.

St Albans are used to pinning sides down with the accuracy of Lee Chappell’s long throws, but this they were very much on the receiving end as the Stones Alex Flisher bombarded the home penalty area from either flank.

From a Flisher throw on the United left Tom Bender headed the ball away but it was immediately returned into the penalty area for Dan Sweeney and Akrofi to head it on.

Again City looked to have repelled the attack when Ugo Udoji headed away but this time it went to Sweeney who directed an excellent header straight to the feet of Healy who swept the opening goal past Welch from seven yards.

Maidstone had begun the game impressively and for 15 minutes it looked as though City could be out of the hunt before having an opportunity to make their mark.

But St Albans have made a habit of overturning early deficits of late and the prospect of damaging the Stones title hopes rose when Michael Thalassitis played a short pass to Theophanous.

City’s leading marksman wasted no time in powering a drive from 25 yards towards the Hatfield Road goal and it took a quick adjustment by Stones ‘keeper Lee Worgan to use his legs to keep the ball out.

Maidstone responded forcefully and, following a Flisher throw, had three shots charged down within a matter of seconds.

By now though City were coming more into the game and just 24-hours after winning the National League South Player of the Month award Theophanous, on 27 minutes, added another stunning strike to his C.V., as the 24-year-old found the back of the net for the fifth consecutive game.

Ugo Udoji chipped a pass towards the edge of the penalty that Eddie Oshodi and Stones defender Callum Davies challenged for.

Both players appeared to get a touch before the ball bounced loose but into the path of Theophanous and with a blistering right-footed half-volley the striker lashed in his 19th goal of the season.

That goal seemed to knock Maidstone’s confidence and for a while the game drifted with neither side able to unsettle the opposing backline, although Vas Karagiannis gave City left-back Tom Bender several anxious moments.

Ten minutes from the break Healy headed high over the top from a cross by Callum Driver while Thalassitis went agonisingly close with a glancing header following a Chappell free kick on the City right.

Two minutes from the interval Karagiannis cut inside onto his left foot and caused problems for Welch with a shot that bounced just in front of the keeper who was happy just to scoop the ball to safety.

An injury to Ben Martin led to the towering defender being replaced during the interval by Darren Locke who came on for his 100th game in a City shirt.

Just six minutes into the second period Maidstone regained the upper hand with a second goal.

A wild back pass by Bender handed the Stones a corner but St Albans defended that comfortably and were making good progress inside the Maidstone half when Sam Corcoran’s attempted pass to Theophanous was intercepted by Flisher.

Unchallenged, Flisher moved forward before finding Healy who played a square pass to Sweeney. After moving across the pitch Sweeney played the ball out to the right to Karagiannis.

Going wide of Chappell, Karagiannis clipped a cross towards the near that Healy headed on for Flisher to get behind Oshodi and bang home from a yard out at the back post.

Both sides continued to use the long throw to good effect and following throws from either touchline by Chappell, Thalassitis had one header saved while a second bounced just wide.

Those chances offered hope to St Albans but second in the table Maidstone are too good a side to allow themselves to be overrun in the manner City have dominated other sides in recent weeks.

But after surviving a couple of half chances the Saints did go close to pulling level for a second time.

Oshodi swept a pass out wide to Harry Anderson and the 19-year-old cut between Driver and Karagiannis before beating Worgan with a shot that thudded into the keeper’s right hand upright.

Charlie MacDonald was quickly onto the rebound but somehow hit the crossbar when it looked easier to score, and just to add insult to injury he was, erroneously, flagged as offside.

On 77 minutes Thalassitis, following a long kick by Welch, looked to have found a way through but was hauled back by Manny Parry.

Referee Ian Rathbone, who had a particularly good game, deemed that the darting Driver had got round far enough to avoid him having to wave anything more than a yellow card at Parry.

It was a close call.

City applied pressure from Chappell’s ensuing free kick and won a corner before Maidstone hit back to test the home defence.

Corcoran went into the book for persistent fouling as the Stones pushed forward and Welch pulled off a spectacular one-handed save high to his right from a header by substitute Jay May from a Flisher corner.

Another Flisher corner on 85 minutes caused more problems for the Saints with Driver sending a crisp volley dipping over the crossbar from beyond the back post.

St Albans certainly had chances to rescue a point from the game but overall Jay Saunders side were worthy winners and remain in striking distance of leaders Ebbsfleet.

Due to Weston-super-Mare beating Margate, St Albans slip back to bottom but one in the National League South table but with Weston being the only one of the bottom seven sides to pick up any points the Saints survival hopes remain in their own hands.

Three of City’s final five games are against sides looking to sneak into the promotion play-off places.

First up are Alan Devonshire’s Maidenhead United next Saturday, 9th April, followed three days later by the rearranged fixture with neighbours Hemel Hempstead Town at Vauxhall Road.

The games kick off at 3pm and 7.45pm respectively.

St Albans City: J.Welch, E.Oshodi, T.Bender (B.Gibson 74), S.Corcoran, E.Udoji (Sc Thomas 84), B.Martin (D.Locke 46) H.Anderson, M.Thalassitis, L.Theophanous, C.MacDonald, L.Chappell, subs not used: A.Iwediuno, D.Green.

Booked: Bender, Corcoran, Chappell.

Maidstone United: L.Worgan, C.Driver, T.Mills, C.Davies, M.Parry, J.Rogers, V.Karagiannis (C.Banya 74), J.Healy, A.Akrofi (J.May 69), D.Sweeney, A.Flisher, subs not used: B-JTaylor, J.Paxman, A.Birchall.

Booked: Parry.

Goals: 8 0-1 Healy, 27 1-1 Theophanous, 51 1-2 Flisher.

Referee: Ian Rathbone (Northampton).

Att: 852.