Top-of-the-table Maidenhead United were rolled over by a resurgent Wealdstone at Grosvenor Vale on Boxing Day as Gordon Bartlett’s men returned to within eight points of the play-off places.

Goals from Elliot Benyon and an Elliott Godfrey winner 12 minutes from time gave the Stones their second league victory from three, in front of a bumper home crowd of 1,100.

Between the two strikes, Dave Tarpey, the league’s top scorer, levelled up from the penalty spot after Eddie Oshodi had brought down Kieron Forbes.

After Godfrey had restored the hosts’ advantage they hung on with relative ease to inflict only the second league defeat on Maidenhead all season.

Josh Uqruhart missed out on the festive fixture after undergoing an operation on his knee, with David Hunt taking his place alongside Oshodi in the centre of defence.

Maidenhead came into the game on the back of a 19-game unbeaten streak in the National League South, dropping only eight points in that time - but were second-best from the outset in north London.

Matty Whichelow went close just after the quarter-hour mark before Tarpey, in search of his 27th league strike of the season, uncharacteristically blazed the ball over from a good position at the other end.

Four minutes before half-time, the hosts found themselves in front. Ciaron Brown found space on the Wealdstone left and his low cross was turned in by Elliot Benyon.

Shortly after the restart, Forbes should have levelled the scores but could only shoot straight at Jonathan North.

It looked like it might not be Tarpey’s day when the striker’s shooting boots were again missing with an hour gone and he again missed when well-placed.

But minutes later, he was given the perfect opportunity to get on the scoresheet when Forbes was fouled - and slotted beyond North for a fortuitous equaliser.

Elliot Godfrey produced a storming performance at the heart of the Stones’ midfield in the closing stages as the hosts pressed for a winner their play had deserved, with Ricky Wellard and Whichelow both unfortunate not to see more from their surging runs in behind the Maidenhead backline.

But as the game entered its final throes, it would come. Wellard’s well-placed free-kick fell to Godfrey just outside the area, and he struck the ball beyond Carl Pentney to restore the lead.

Tarpey forced a late save from North as Maidenhead’s unbeaten run began to ebb away, but they were rightly downed by a determined Wealdstone side, who they will again face - in Berkshire - on New Year’s Day.

Wealdstone: North, Sheckleford, Brown, Hunt, Oshodi, Godfrey, Green, Cox, Benyon, Wellard, Whichelow (Wright 81).

Not used: Freeman, Hamblin, Koroma, McGleish.