Hopefully we can get a good result in front of a good crowd, says Maidstone United boss Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED boss Jay Saunders believes Saturday’s home FA Carlsberg Trophy tie against Salisbury City can attract a 2,000 plus crowd.



The Stones lead the Ryman League Division One South table, with 27 points from thirteen games, but full-time Salisbury play two league’s higher and lead the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table, with a six-point lead on Chelmsford City.

“Obviously it’s a big game for us,” said Saunders, ahead of the First Round tie.

“They’re two divisions above us so they’re flying in the league. A full-time outfit. It’s going to be a tough game for us. We have to go into it with the right attitude and hopefully come out of it with a positive result.

“I think most people know the league is our priority this year. I’d like to get out of the Ryman South but we’re still in the Trophy, which is a big bonus.

“It’s a big game for us. Hopefully we can get a good result in front of a good crowd.”

When asked what he is expecting, Saunders admitted he doesn’t really want another midweek game for the replay.

He said: “We’ve been Saturday, Tuesday now for the last six weeks or something ridiculous like that and it starts to take your toll out of it and I must admit against Whitehawk in the last round when we went back to 2-2 you’re thinking not another midweek, in Brighton!

“Certainly I’d rather it be settled in 90 minutes but if we’re 1-0 down and we score a last minute equaliser I won’t be saying that!”

Saunders had Salisbury City watched during their 1-0 defeat to Jamie Day’s Welling United last weekend.

Saunders said: “They’re a very hard working side. We had them watched against Welling. They’ve got some experienced players. The front two are very good but we have to be on our game but at the same time we think there’s a couple of weaknesses that they may have.  

“As much as we go into the game aware what they’re doing, we’ll try to highlight the bits that we’re good at.”

Maidstone United attracted the largest crowd of all the Third Qualifying Round ties when 1,571 fans watched their 3-2 win over Whitehawk.

“Last round I think we were the biggest attendance in the Trophy and the crowds have been superb,” added Saunders.

“We’d like to think if we’d get 1,700 against Walton Casuals who were at the bottom, we can get over the 2,000 mark against a team two divisions higher because Salisbury should bring a few people down.

“If the supporters can get behind the boys like they have been, it can be to our advantage to spur us on.”

Maidstone United will lose top spot if second-placed Hythe Town avoid defeat in the Kent derby against Ramsgate at Reachfields Stadium on Saturday.

The Stones will then have three games in hand on Scott Porter’s side and Saunders said:

“After this weekend we’ll have three games in hand on people but we have to win those games and we’ve got to go again and improve on what we’ve done first part of the season.

“I think Christmas is a massive time of the season because there’s so many games.  It becomes a tough time of the year so we have to keep doing what we’re doing really and don’t rest on our laurels and keep trying to improve.”

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk  

Maidstone United  v  Salisbury City
The FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round
Saturday 24^th November 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ