A special strike from Joe Healy and an Alex Flisher goal saw Maidstone take charge of their play-off semi-final against Truro.

Healy gave United a half-time lead in Cornwall on Wednesday night, with Flisher adding the second to give United a two-goal lead for the second leg at the Gallagher on Sunday.

United were largely on top but Truro finished strongly and with no away goals rule in the National South play-offs, the tie is far from over.

Maidstone stuck with the same formation that took care of Truro just over a fortnight ago - 4-4-2 - although this time it was Flisher up top alongside Jay May, with Dumebi Dumaka on the bench.

United, backed by at least 200 travelling fans in Cornwall, were assured and confident from the start while Truro looked nervous dealing with balls in their box, be it from Flisher long throws or crosses from Vas Karagiannis.

An early Flisher missile set the tone as the ball broke to Bobby-Joe Taylor, whose fierce strike went inches over via a home defender.

Tom Mills went close with a first-time strike from 25 yards after another Flisher throw was only partially cleared.

It was a simple but effective tactic on Truro’s small pitch and from the next Flisher throw, United were in front, a spectacular overhead kick from Healy giving the Stones the lead after 27 minutes.

Truro offered virtually nothing going forward, the only scare for the visitors when Lee Worgan briefly lost control of a backpass but other than that, the Stones keeper barely touched the ball in the first half.

Karagiannis had a shot blocked after cutting in from the right, while Flisher sent a shot from the edge of the box over and another narrowly wide.

Truro threatened for the first time 10 minutes into the second half and probably should have scored, Aaron Bentley meeting Ryan Brett’s free-kick but firing over from six yards out.

Defender Bentley was perhaps still thinking about the miss when he was robbed on the edge of his own box by Flisher, who ran on and smashed the ball past keeper Martin Rice for United’s second after 56 minutes.

Brett saw a free-kick saved by Worgan, Ben Adelsbury’s deflected strike flashed wide, while Matt Wright rushed his shot and fired over after a rare Stones mistake at the back as Truro tried to get a foothold in the tie.

City started to put more balls into the Maidstone box in the last 15 minutes, leading to a couple of hairy moments for the visitors, which included Wright hitting the bar in injury time.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Parry, Rogers, Karagiannis (Sweeney 77mins), Healy, May (Dumaka 80mins), Taylor, Flisher. Subs not used: Godmon, Davies, Paxman.

Attendance: 1,011.