It's nice to be underdogs, it takes a bit of pressure off the boys, says Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED player-manager Jay Saunders says he is enjoying the underdog tag ahead of their trip to Halifax Town in The FA Carlsberg Trophy on Saturday.

The Stones leapfrogged over Dulwich Hamlet to lead the Ryman League Division One South table following their 3-1 home win over Three Bridges on Tuesday night.

Maidstone United found themselves 1-0 down at the break courtesy of Tim Rivers but they fought back to claim the three points thanks to goals from Nick Humphrey, substitute Paul Booth and Warren Whitely.

They are now a point clear of Dulwich Hamlet, who will reclaim top spot again if they beat Merstham on Saturday, but Saunders’ side will have three games in hand on Gavin Rose’s men.

Reflecting on the game, Saunders said: “Second half good. First half not!  It was a complete game of two halves.  We never turned up first half and to be honest first half was probably our worst performance of the season.

“Then we matched them up second half and looked very good, kept the ball better and caused them problems.”

Only two games were played in Kent on Tuesday night – Margate went four points clear of Saturday’s opponents Whitehawk with a 3-1 home win over basement side Carshalton Athletic – due to the freezing temperatures.

Maidstone United took full advantage of their artificial pitch by beating the freeze and were rewarded when 1,119 fans braved the cold temperatures to watch the win.

“It’s a bonus,” said Saunders. “You can see why the owners have done it.  When you look at how many games have been called off in league’s this year already you can understand why the club did it and it makes sense.

“It was a perfect playable surface. It’s a bonus for us because we can prepare all week knowing our game is going to be on, on the Saturday.

“It was very cold. I’ve got to tell you it was one of the coldest nights I’ve been involved in football I’ve known.

“When you’re 1-0 down at half-time you think what a night this is. We brought on young Alex Brown (who is on loan from Gillingham) and he changed the game for us and Boothy (Paul Booth) came on and it turned in our favour.

“I know it’s early and everyone says it’s early, the league is not won in December, but at the end of the day you’re in league’s and if you’re top of the league, you’re top of the league.

“It was important we got the win to be honest because it was one of our games in hand.  With the Trophy this weekend I didn’t want to go into that on the back of a loss.  We go into that top of the league knowing only Dulwich can overtake us on Saturday and then we’re back having three games in hand.

FC Halifax Town lie in fifth-place in Conference North – which is two league’s higher than Ryman League Division One South. 

But the Stones have already knocked out Conference South leaders Salisbury City in this competition and Saunders is enjoying the underdog tag once again going into the Second Round tie.

He said: “It will be a tough game. I’ve had them watched Saturday against Worcester and got a good report on them.  They’re a tough, typical northern side.  A big side, hardworking, quite well organised, but we had the same thing against Salisbury. They were top of the Conference South and we did well to get anything out of them and everything and we won the game.

“We’re travelling up Friday morning, stay over Friday night so we’re preparing the best way we can and we’ll go into it to try to win the game.

“It’s nice to be underdogs, it takes a bit of pressure off the boys.  No one expects us to get anything up there, same as the Salisbury game.

“You can sort of enjoy it a bit more. There’s not that pressure. 

“When we were 1-0 down at half-time on Tuesday night there’s a few people booing in the crowd and you think Jesus we’re top of the league and only 1-0 down at half-time!

“You think that’s the pressure you’re under this year. 

“To be fair it was a minority, There was ten people doing it. God knows what it will be like if we’re bottom! I was disappointed with that a bit, as I say, there was a very few minority of supporters, the supporters have been very good this year in their numbers.

“I think sometimes they have got to understand we’re not just going to beat them and roll teams over.”

Saunders will be without goalkeeper Charlie Mitten, defender Ben Davisson, midfielder Danny Lye and winger Alex Flisher through injury.  Striker Shaun Welford is suspended and striker Stuart King is cup-tied having played in the FA Carlsberg Trophy for his former club Folkestone Invicta.

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

FC Halifax Town  v  Maidstone United
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Round
Saturday 15^th December 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Shay Stadium, Halifax, HX1 2YT