Some Maidstone United players are shying away from the ugly side of Ryman League football at the time when they most need to scrap for points.

Stones boss Jay Saunders said he felt “let down” by certain members of his squad during Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to struggling East Thurrock.

Maidstone were out battled in Essex and they’ve now lost five consecutive away games.

Saunders takes his side to play-off rivals AFC Hornchurch on Saturday and he’s warned his under-performing players to get a grip.

He said: “One or two of them are shying away from doing the ugly things. They need to remember we’re in the Ryman Premier, not the Conference. You’ve got to go and do it at places like East Thurrock in front of 100 people.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt let down by the lads. I hoped, having lost a few away games recently, that they’d have learnt from it. But one or two of them think they can rock up at places like that and turn teams over. You can’t. It’s a tough league to get out of.

“I told the players ‘if you think that was hard, wait until you get to Hornchurch on Saturday'.

“They’re a big side, they ask questions of you and they’ve got a bit more quality than East Thurrock, which is why they’re near the top of the league."

Frannie Collin, Steve Watt and Orlando Smith are all out injured this weekend, while Dan Parkinson (foot) and Jerrome Sobers (groin) are both doubtful. Jack Parkinson serves the last of his three-match ban.