It's probably the biggest week in my managerial career so far, says Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED boss Jay Saunders says he wants his side to take advantage of being at home for the nerve-jangling Ryman League Division One South play-offs.

The Stones finished runners-up over the 42-matches, having collected 88 points (26 wins, 10 draws and 6 defeats).

However, they came agonisingly close to clinching the league title, but fell one point short of champions Dulwich Hamlet, who took the only automatic promotion spot.

Maidstone United welcome fifth-placed Folkestone Invicta for an all-ticket affair at The Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night, for the right to lock horns with either Faversham Town or Hythe Town (who meet at Salters Lane on the same night) in Saturday’s final.

Folkestone Invicta grabbed fifth-spot after their 1-0 home win over Herne Bay, and Faversham Town’s 1-0 victory over Leatherhead, who went in the final day of the season in the last play-off berth.

“I think probably we lost the league to be honest,” admitted Saunders, whose side were tipped as title favourties.

“I’m not taking nothing away from Dulwich. I’ve got a lot of time for Gavin Rose and Junior Kadi down there. They’re good lads and try to do things the right way.

“I look back on a few results – I know you shouldn’t – but I do look back. First game of the season losing 5-4 against Walton & Hersham for instance and in recent weeks we’ve had a couple of bad refereeing decisions.

“I take nothing away from Dulwich, they’ve had a good go this year and won it, for it to be so close is just gutting!”

Saunders believes his team are going into the play-off semi-final with the right frame of mind, despite going into the final day with a slim chance of grabbing the title.

“To be honest I don’t think they need picking up,” said Saunders.

“After the Faversham game at home I said to them it’s play-offs realistically now, so get yourselves mentally right and for the last three games go out and enjoy it.

“We set them a target of 10 goals and not concede in the last three games of the season. I think we scored 10 or 11 and unfortunately we conceded one so we hit the target and that’s what we did to get a bit of momentum and enjoy it.

“At one point on Saturday they knew Dulwich were losing and we were half in with a chance.  We knew realistically they only lost one at home all season so the chances of that happening weren’t very good.

“They were all in good spirits after the game on Saturday and we’re looking forward to Tuesday now.”

With four Kent clubs vying for promotion along with Dulwich Hamlet, the form book goes out of the window.

Out of the four clubs, only Folkestone Invicta have experience of play-offs.  They defeated Leatherhead (on penalties) and Godalming Town both at Cheriton Road as they secured promotion back in 2010, before suffering relegation from the Ryman Premier League after one season.

Last season Folkestone Invicta suffered a semi-final defeat at Dulwich Hamlet, courtesy of two goals from Ray Powell, who now looks certain to win the Kent League for VCD Athletic on Tuesday, assisting Tony Russell.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, I’ve never been involved in one,” revealed Saunders.

“For me it’s a new experience. It’s probably the biggest week in my managerial career so far and I’m looking forward to it.

“We’re at home, there will be a big crowd, like there was Saturday, who will be behind us and I think the boys have got to use that disappointment of not winning the league in a way and go out and make sure we get through these play-offs.

“Their one-off games and form goes out of the window.

“We finished seventeen points above Folkestone and that’s the way play-offs are, they’re not the nicest of things and we just have to go out and make sure we do the right things and hopefully we’ll be ok.”

“I think what’s important for us we ain’t done bad all season. We’ve lost less games than Dulwich this year, I think we’ve scored a lot more goals, it’s just that we drew too many.

“We’ve had a good season and what we’ve got to look at it’s another game and if we get through Tuesday, it’s another game on Saturday.  I’ve enjoyed being in charge of the boys this year. It just means I’m going to watch them for another game!”

Saunders knows everything he needs to about the team that are standing in their way of reaching Saturday’s home final – Folkestone Invicta.

The Stones will have home advantage in both games (if they get to the final) because they finished as runners-up in the league.

“It’s going to be a tough game and we’ll have a good go at it,” said Saunders.

“We know we’ve got a perfect pitch to play on. We’ll have got a big crowd behind us – the crowd were superb on Saturday – so I think home advantage is important but at the same time a lot of teams have raised their game when they come to us because they’re playing at The Gallagher and playing in front of a lot of people.”

“We just have to turn up and try and do the right things. 

“Cugs (Neil Cugley) has got a good side down there and I think they’ve done brilliantly to make the play-offs. Halfway through the season they weren’t having the greatest of times but they’ve picked up and gone on a great run.

“It’s going to be a tough game for us. They’ve got players there who I know.  We’ve had two draws against them this year, two good games and hopefully we can go out and being at home, take advantage of that.

Saunders – like Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon before him – hailed a successful campaign for Kent football.

Saunders said: “It’s brilliant for Kent football in general this season.  Welling have gone up (as Conference South champions), Tunbridge Wells are going to Wembley (in the FA Vase Final) and four teams in the Ryman South play-offs, it just shows you how strong Kent football is at the moment.

“It’s just frustrating for us because when their derbies as well as being play-offs form goes out of the window and it becomes a bit of a lottery.  You’ve got ex-players who have played with each other over the years and played with each other at different clubs and they all want to go out and prove that they are better than what they are. 

“It’s going to be a tough one and tough play-offs. We’ll concentrate on Tuesday and if we can get through that then we can worry about Saturday after that.”

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

Maidstone United  v  Folkestone Invicta
Ryman League Division One South Play-Off Semi-Final
Tuesday 30^th April 2013
Kick Off 7:45pm
at The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ