Maidstone director Oliver Ash admits the form of the side under new manager Andy Ford is "a concern" but says there is plenty of time to turn things around.

Mr Ash, pictured, and fellow directors Terry Casey and Bill Williams appointed Ford and assistant Steve Butler in the wake of Peter Nott’s dismissal in October, but the Stones remain in the Ryman League, Premier Division drop zone.

Mr Ash said: "It’s disappointing that results have gone badly. We all want the team to do well.

"We changed manager relatively recently and to be fair to the new manager, half the time he’s had, he’s been under snow and ice.

"It is not easy to change things instantly in the way he’d like because of some of the situations he inherited. The playing budget is not quite as small as some might believe, it’s just that some of it is tied up in certain ways that the manager can’t do anything about.

"We are patient. The situation is a concern but we’ll give it time. The manager was given a target when he came in and it is too soon to say that we won’t achieve the target.

"The important thing for us this season is to survive – staying up would be a good result."