Aaron Jarvis struck the winner as Torquay beat fellow National League relegation battlers Maidstone 1-0 at Plainmoor.

The Gulls went close to opening the scoring just after the interval when Shaun Donnellan’s header was pushed over by Dan Barden.

Jarvis then made the breakthrough in the 79th minute, hitting a shot past Barden having been set up by Tope Fadahunsi.

It sees the gap between third-bottom Torquay and safety reduce to three points, while basement boys Maidstone are seven points adrift after what was their ninth straight league defeat.