We must concentrate on getting a win and keep our fingers crossed that Hastings lose - Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED are on the brink of pulling off The Great Escape – but player-manager Jay Saunders will be praying for the football gods to be on his side as he embarks on a dramatic last day of the season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Stones have picked up 16 points from their last seven games and will be hoping that luck will be on their side tomorrow.

Maidstone United MUST win in Essex tomorrow and then their future in the Ryman Premier League lies on the East Sussex coast.

If Hastings United beat Aveley, Maidstone United will go down, whatever happens at Hornchurch, but if Aveley claim a point or win at The Pilot Field and the Stones win, then the club will retain its Ryman Premier League status.

Hastings are in 18^th place with 38 points, Maidstone United follow with 37 points, and third-from-bottom Aveley have 35 points.

”We asked them to take three points from every game and the boys have gone out there and done that,” said Saunders on the eve of the make-or-break weekend.

”There’s been a couple of performances, against Bury Town and Folkestone, two very different games, but they’ve gone out and done a job on them so I’m well pleased with them.”

Looking ahead to their trip to bogey ground Bridge Avenue, Saunders remains positive that his side complete their campaign with a fourth successive win.

He said: ”It will be a tough one.  We know what Hornchurch are like.  They’re normally up there every season and around the play-off’s.  They’ve just missed out this year and they will be a very well organised side.

”Every game we’ve been concentrating on what we’re good at – we’re concentrating on what we can do to cause them problems and that’s the way we want to approach the game.”

But Saunders added, “It’s still out of our hands, which is a bit frustrating really.  But we’ve done all we can do, so we’ll go there and get the three points and at the end of the day if Hastings win that’s the way it’s gone, but fingers crossed.  If we can get three points then we’ll see how that goes afterwards.”

Saunders escaped the drop last season when Margate were twice handed a reprieve after finishing fourth-from-bottom two season’s running.

”As far as I’m aware there’s no fourth place reprieve,” revealed Saunders.

”I was at Margate last year and we got the reprieve and we knew going into the last game against Hastings we’ll get the reprieve if we had won.

”I’m lead to believe the sides from the Northern (Premier) League are better positioned so they would get the reprieve above us.”

Saunders hopes the footballing gods will be smiling for his side and Aveley and that Hastings drop.

”The boys have been superb,” said Saunders.  “If we go there and get three points and still miss out I’m sure we’ll all be absolutely gutted.  It will be a case of fingers crossed as to regards the Hastings game.

 ”It’s just important that – I know I keep saying it – to get those three points.  The other game is out of your hands so we’ll concentrate on getting three points because at the end of the day there will be nothing worse not to get your three points and Hastings are losing, so we have to make sure we concentrate on that game and giving your all for that 90 minutes and hope results go right elsewhere and hope the results go your way elsewhere.

”Since we’ve taken the job we had a chance to get out of it.  I know a lot of people didn’t believe us but we’ve done the best we can.

”It’s frustrating when I look back at the games where we’ve thrown away games with last minutes goals since I’ve been at the club and we could’ve gone into it with it in our own hands.

”I’m confident we can get three points at Hornchurch – whether that’s enough to keep us up, that’s another matter.”

When asked whether he knows anyone at Aveley to ask for a favour, Saunders replied, “I know a lad down there, Danny Slatter. I was at Gravesend & Northfleet with him.  Aveley have got a chance (of staying up) as well. If they were to win and we lose, they’ve got a chance of staying up so it’s all to play for.”

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

AFC Hornchurch  v  Maidstone United
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 30^th April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Bridge Avenue, Upminster, Essex RM14 2LX