By Alex Hoad

Maidstone United player-boss Jay Saunders has hailed the new-found spirit in the squad which earned a point at Lowestoft on Tuesday.

But Saunders, pictured, says it will all be for nothing if the side fail to win Saturday's crunch relegation clash at fourth-bottom Aveley.

Maidstone are 11 points from safety at the foot of the Ryman League Premier Division and have just six games left after the trip to Essex.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Billericay was a sixth straight defeat and a 12th in 13 league games, but Stones rallied to take a point in Suffolk after a 3-3 draw, where Lowestoft have lost just once all season.

Saunders said: "Conceding two late goals saw the heads drop at the end on Saturday but we managed to get them back up by Tuesday and they were different class right from the start.

"When we scored the third you could see how together the boys are and coming home on the bus back, it was a much happier place.

"We seem to play better against the top sides and struggle against the bottom ones. That has to change. The point we took the other night will mean nothing if we don’t perform against Aveley."

Saunders is set to be boosted by the arrival of a new signing to his attacking ranks. The youngster – who plays at a higher level – was set to agree a loan deal until the end of the season at training on Thursday night.

Defender Laurence Harvey (Achilles) could return from an injury which forced him off against Billericay.