You learn a lot more I suppose when you’re losing games than when you’re winning games, says Maidstone United boss Jay Saunders

MAIDSTONE UNITED manager Jay Saunders says he is learning all the time in the Vanarama National League this season.

The Stones suffered their thirteenth league defeat of the season with a 2-0 defeat at their Kent rivals Bromley last weekend and are sitting in the bottom seven in the table with 25 points from their 24 league outings.

Maidstone United are five points clear of the relegation zone going into their trip to league rivals Boreham Wood in the First Round of The Buildbase FA Trophy tomorrow.

Boreham Wood are in ninth-place in the table with a playing record of 10 wins, six draws and seven defeats.

“Difficult one.  They’re a good side, they’re one of the better sides,” said Saunders.

“We got a 1-0 win up there in the league but I thought they were actually a good side on the day.

“For us, I think it’s nice to get away from the league maybe and have a go at it.

“We need to get some players in. We’re still working on that. I was hoping to have one in for the Bromley game but it kind of fell through and hopefully we can get one or two in because we’re in desperate need. After our bench we’ve got no one else in the squad so we do need some reinforcements.”

Saunders is concerned that his side perform well against the league’s leading lights but fail to replicate that form against teams at the wrong end of the table.

“We don’t seem to be doing badly against these top teams. If you look at all the teams we’ve beat there all from the top half of the  table.  I don’t know what it is with us. The teams down and around us, we struggle. Maybe it’s because it’s a bit more of a battle and it doesn’t suit us as much.  I’m not sure but it’s something that’s got to be addressed.

“We’re learning all the time. I knew it was a good league that we’re coming into and it’s just been proved right. There’s no easy games. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing and I think that shows in results and the results that we’ve got. We’ve beaten some good teams up at the top and lost to some teams that maybe we should’ve got some results against but I think what it does show if you put a run of results together – like what Bromley have – you can sort of climb up in this league and that’s what we need to do.

“You learn a lot more I suppose when you’re losing games than when you’re winning games.

“I’ve probably learnt a bit about some of my players and some who I thought maybe might be up for it have fallen a little bit short or need a little bit more time.  You don’t get loads of time so it’s something we need to look at.”

Striker Dumebi Dumaka has sealed a permanent move to Ryman Premier League side Dulwich Hamlet following his seven week loan spell at Champion Hill.

Saunders said: “Anyone that comes in – there will be people going out – which is hard because we’ve got a small squad as it is but we are looking but financially it’s got to be right for us and they have to be the right players.  I won’t bring them in for the sake of it.

“I know supporters’ are desperate for us to bring someone in. Unless they’re better than what we’ve got they’ve really got to make an impact.”

Shockingly, Boreham Wood, who won promotion alongside Bromley and are in season number two in the National League, charge adults £18.

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

Boreham Wood  v  Maidstone United
The Buildbase FA Trophy First Round
Saturday 10^th December 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Meadow Park, Broughinge Road, Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire WD6 5AL