Manager Craig Fagan was quick to thank Maidstone’s travelling fans for their tremendous support at Torquay on Saturday.

A total of 234 made the 450-mile round trip to Devon in atrocious conditions and saw their side leave Plainmoor with a 1-1 draw.

Fagan was delighted to see their backing rewarded as Maidstone centre-half Frankie Hvid made amends for a first-half own goal by scoring an 84th-minute equaliser.

“Thank you to the fans that travelled,” said Fagan after Hvid’s late goal saw Maidstone retain top spot in National League South.

“It’s a long way to come, not knowing the game’s definitely going to be on in those conditions.

“Looking at the pitch at the end of the game, there’s puddles on it, so some of them have gambled with their money, which they work hard for, to come and watch us. The support was tremendous.

“They’re all in that one corner and the support is dragging the ball into that end and they’re cheering the boys on after every shot and every cross.

“We’re going to need them all season. The players need them and the fans need the players to get them going.

“It was a two-way thing today and I just want to thank them.”

Fagan enjoyed Hvid’s late header as much as the fans, celebrating with an uncharacteristic knee-slide in the Plainmoor mud.

His side trailed to Hvid’s 27th-minute own goal and would have conceded again but for Lenny Holden’s superb penalty save from Cody Cooke.

After digging in against the wind before the break, their second-half efforts paid off with Hvid’s header after Torquay made a mess of clearing Riley Court’s corner.

“It’s a well-earned point,” said Fagan. “It was disappointing to concede the way we did but I said to the players before the game, it was about heart and desire. It was never going to be about beautiful football.

“The weather was horrendous but well done to the lads for the way they battled and showed that ugly side to us, which is needed.

“I’m with them. I’m all in. The knee-slide when we scored, that’s not something I would normally do but I was so happy for the players in terms of the way they’ve gone about it.

“I was getting a bit of grief from Zach (Foster-Crouch, goalkeeper coach) and Rob (Tuvey, assistant manager) for the celebration but I was just pleased for the players. I know how much they want it. It was the emotion coming out, in a positive way.”

Hvid turned Harry Shield’s cross past Holden with the Stones keeper already committed to coming for the ball as Torquay took the lead.

But if there had been a breakdown in communication there, Hvid was the hero with his far-post header in the closing minutes.

“Frankie’s committed. He’s wholehearted,” said Fagan.

“He’s tried to keep the ball out of the net. I don’t know if he was trying to volley it, head it, or whatever he was doing.

“There was no need to but he’s wholehearted, he’s all in. Maybe with a bit more communication between him and Lenny, we don’t concede in the first half but he goes and scores and gets us back in the game.”

Holden’s penalty save, diving low to his left, proved pivotal, with Fagan praising both the keeper and assistant boss Tuvey after Cooke was denied from the spot.

“This is why I brought Rob to the table,” said Fagan.

“He watched the penalties the player took and the last six, he’s gone that way. So Rob took Lenny aside, like he does every week, and I’ve never felt more confident when he’s stepping up to take the penalty because Rob went through it on Friday.

“Lo and behold, he’s saved it, so well done to Lenny and Rob.

“All these little 1 per cents, they make a massive difference in terms of getting points on the board and winning games.”

Maidstone host Kent rivals Ebbsfleet in a top-two clash at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night.