Maidstone boss Jay Saunders said his side were terrible in their 3-0 defeat at Chelmsford.

He accused players of expecting an easy ride at the National League South strugglers, refusing to blame injuries for Easter Monday's performance.

It was their heaviest defeat of the season and the first time they had conceded three goals in a game, although they remain second after Sutton only drew with Whitehawk.

Saunders said: "They had that bit more desire and workrate than us, they won every first ball - and if they didn’t, they won the second - and it was just a very bad day at the office.

"You could see they were up for it, they’re in a relegation battle, they’re fighting for their lives and I think too many of us probably thought that we’d come here and it would be an easy game.

"Full credit to them because it certainly wasn’t.

"Probably having about nine players not turn up on the day would have something to do with it.

"Don’t get me wrong, losing Joe Healy and Callum Driver’s not helped, and missing Dumebi Dumaka as well, but I think too many people thought they’d done the hard work Saturday and turned up here thinking it was going to be an easy one, and that’s not good enough."

Dumaka was again ruled out with an ankle injury - the results of a scan expected this week - while Driver had a foot injury and Healy broke down in the warm-up.

Saunders added: "It’s not ideal but I’m not making excuses for that performance because all the lads there are good enough players to come here and do a job.

"Just on the day we haven’t turned up and they wanted it a hell of a lot more than us."