Kentish Football 
We've given ourselves a chance, says Maidstone United boss Jay Saunders
Wednesday 20th April 2011
MAIDSTONE UNITED player-manager Jay Saunders says his battling side have given themselves every chance of pulling off The Great Escape - but they need some luck along the way, writes Stephen McCartney.
Goals from Dan Stubbs and Laurence Harvey sealed a 2-0 win over Concord Rangers last weekend - the club’s first home league win of the season.
Saunders was pleased that the club broke their duck - at the 20th attempt.
“Everyone keeps going on about it since I’ve been at the club, but you try to forget about it but obviously it was an important win, having not won all season at home so it was good to get the first win,” said Saunders.
“We deserved it to be honest. I thought we were the better side. We had a shaky first ten minutes but once we settled down we started to play some good stuff. The first goal was a great goal. Over the 90 minutes we were the better side. I thought we deserved the three points.”
The maths are simple. Third-from-bottom Maidstone United have collected 31 points from 39 games. Hastings occupy the place immediately above the relegation zone and they have 37 points. Above them are Horsham on 38 points.
The Stones must beat fourth-placed Bury Town (who suffered a 2-1 defeat at Cray Wanderers last Sunday) on Easter Saturday, beat relegated Folkestone Invicta at Homelands Stadium on Easter Monday and finish their campaign with three points at AFC Hornchurch - and hope the football gods are on their side.
“It’s not impossible! At the end of the day we’ve given ourselves a chance so all the time you’ve got a chance you have to keep going,” said Saunders.
“Every game has been massive since we took over as we’re running out of games and Saturday will be another massive game as Bury (Town) are a good side but we’ll be looking for three points.”
Suffolk side Bury Town have spent the majority of the season in second place, but they are wobbling and slipped down to fourth place in the table after their loss at Hayes Lane.
There is only one point separating second-placed Tonbridge Angels and fifth-place Lowestoft Town, so both sides have plenty to play for at Ram Meadow.
“I think sometimes that helps though, because sometimes you go to clubs and they have nothing to play for so they’re under no pressure and they can just relax and enjoy the game a bit more as their’s no pressure on them.
“Bury are feeling the pressure a little bit as they’ve gone from sitting comfortably in second and have dropped down to fourth and people below them are putting pressure on them so they’ll be a bit nervous now going into it as well.”
Folkestone Invicta - who suffered relegation following their defeat at Kingstonian last weekend - visit Homelands on Easter Monday.
The Stones could already be down by the time Neil Cugley’s basement side arrive in Ashford - or they could still be fighting for their lives.
“Everyone keeps saying that Folkestone is the easiest game as they’ve been relegated - I don’t see it that way,” admitted Saunders.
“It will be a harder game than Bury. We’ve played Folkestone a few times this season. It’s a derby, they’ve got some good players, they’ll work hard and if we’re not relegated I’m sure they will want to get us relegated with them because that’s the way it is.”
Folkestone Invicta defeated The Stones 4-0 at Cheriton Road on the first day of March.
“We owe them one because we lost 4-0 and we didn’t turn up on the night and they deserved the win to be honest,” said Saunders.
“We’ve got a more settled side and it will be a different game at our place.
Saunders knows his side must win their last three games and hope other teams do him a massive favour by beating Horsham and Hastings.
“That’s all we can do,” he said, “We’ll keep trying and win our last three games. If other teams are winning there’s nothing we can do.”
Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk
Bury Town v Maidstone United
Ryman Premier League
Easter Saturday, 23rd April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Ram Meadow, Cotton Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1XP
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd