We've got to keep grinding out results, says Maidstone United boss Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED player-manager Jay Saunders says he will make numerous changes to his side for their trip to Whitehawk on Tuesday night.



The Stones make the trip down to Brighton to play a Ryman League Cup Fourth Round tie fresh from their FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round home win over the current  Ryman Premier League leaders on 10 November.

Maidstone United remain in second place in the Ryman League Division One South following their 2-0 home win over their Kent rivals Herne Bay, despite having Shaun Welford red-carded in the 56^th minute.

But new signing, Stuart King, 25, who has arrived on a undisclosed transfer fee from league rivals Folkestone Invicta, set up both goals from left-sided players Alex Flisher and Tom Mills.

Saunders, who came off the bench to play only three minutes on Saturday, insists getting promotion out of the division is his priority and that their League Cup tie at Whitehawk has come at the wrong time with such a busy schedule fast approaching.

“I’ve signed about six or seven of the reserve lads up – there will probably be three, maybe four of the first team – and myself – the rest will be made up of the reserves,” revealed Saunders.

“I don’t really want to do that to be honest but being in the Trophy we just can’t afford to.”

Saunders then takes his side to play Leatherhead next Saturday and is looking forward to their trip to Surrey.

The Tanners are managed by former Sittingbourne boss Richard Brady and presently occupy ninth-place, with seven wins and a draw from fourteen league games.

Saunders said: “Brades has got a good side down there, got some very good players.  We’ve seen them a couple of times. They were one of the better sides so it will be a tough one. 

“They’re all tough in this league. It’s just about having a bit of consistency and do the right things.   At the moment we seem to have consistency and hopefully we can go there and keep it going.”

Maidstone United’s only two league defeats have come in August and their derby day win over Simon Halsey’s Herne Bay side has stretched their unbeaten run in the league to eleven games.

They have now gone 271 minutes without conceding a goal – a statistic that has pleased Saunders, whose side are a couple of points behind Dulwich Hamlet, but with three games in hand.

“Last year we scored goals but last year defensively we struggled and I think this year defensively as a side we look solid,” he said.

“Touch wood. This year we look more solid and that’s pleasing and we’re scoring goals at the other end so at the end of the day that’s all you can do.

“It seems a long time ago (when we lost to Worthing) but it’s about taking a game at a time. It’s an old saying but that’s what we’re doing. 

“We’ll keep looking at it next week.  We’ve got another massive game at Leatherhead but we’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing and grinding out results.  Sometimes you’re not going to play well and play brilliant football and tear teams apart, it’s not going to happen sometimes.

“I think games like the one against Herne Bay when you look back on a season and you’ve dug deep with ten-men and won 2-0, they become massive games for you.”

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

Whitehawk  v  Maidstone United
Ryman League Cup Fourth Round
Tuesday 4^th December 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at The Enclosed Ground, East Brighton Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 5TS