George Elokobi had no issue with the amount of stoppage time as Maidstone suffered a late defeat against Woking.

The Cards scored in the sixth of seven added minutes to pinch a 2-1 National League win at the Gallagher Stadium yesterday.

Seven minutes seemed excessive but new boss Elokobi, stepping up from his caretaker role, had no arguments.

“I told our players they have to play for 97-100 minutes and I was right in saying that,” he said.

“The officials add the time and you’ve got to stay in the game.

"That time is given for both teams. If I’m being totally fair, if we were a goal down or we were pushing for a winner and we scored that late, we’d all be celebrating.

“But they got the goal and all credit to them for how much they pushed us, and we couldn’t hold on.

"It’s another lesson learned and a lesson we need to take on board in how to be more resilient next time and stay in the game and get something out of a game that our performance as individuals and collectively as a team deserved.”

Maidstone are 14 points from safety with seven games remaining after losing to third-placed Woking.

Defeat was harsh on the hosts who saw Josh Shonibare’s classy opener wiped out by Pardraig Amond’s double.

Cards boss Darren Sarll praised Elokobi’s side at full-time and Woking officials felt they were fortunate to win.

Pats on the back are nice but Elokobi wants points after Maidstone’s winless run in the league reached 18 games.

“That’s a compliment we keep getting week in, week out,” said Elokobi.

“We love to hear that but at the same time we don’t like to hear it.

"We got complimented by their manager, to tell the boys well done and how well we played but we don’t want a pat on the back, we want to earn three points and that’s the reality.

"It’s my responsibility to ensure we keep instilling that in our players and make sure we can get over the line in games.”

It was Elokobi’s first match as permanent manager after two months in caretaker control following Hakan Hayrettin’s sacking in January.

To finally lose the caretaker tag and be in the dugout as the club’s new boss was a special moment.

• Report: Maidstone 1-2 Woking

“It feels good, damn good to know I’m the man in charge,” said Elokobi.

“I know there’s work to be done and I’m not shy of it. I know how much hard work we need to do behind the scenes, myself, the management team and the board.

“I know we’re going to keep identifying, we’re going to keep rebuilding, but it’s good to get up and know what the future of Maidstone United is going to be and it just wipes away the doubt in everyone’s minds.

“There’s a bit of clarity now in the players’ minds, in the management team’s minds, but also as a football club.

“With the support of the board, who have been ever-supportive, we will get it right.”