Confident Noah Chesmain says Maidstone have the best players in the league.

The Stones defender feels they should be fighting for the National South title with the squad Hakan Hayrettin has built at the Gallagher this season.

They sit seventh after a promising start and Chesmain will be disappointed if they don’t kick on from here.

“We believe we can win the league and that’s what we want to do,” said the former Millwall youngster.

“If we don’t do that, or we don’t challenge, it will feel like we haven’t done anything this season.

“We all believe we can win any game and we know we’ve got the best players in the league.

“So everything’s positive, everything around the training ground is positive, everyone wants us to do well and the fans are behind us, which is the main thing.”

Left-back Chesmain has started the past three games after missing the start of the season.

He suffered a hamstring injury in a pre-season friendly against Crawley, which gave summer signing Raphe Brown the chance to stake his claim.

Brown won plenty of admirers in the opening weeks but, after picking up an injury in the 6-0 win over Concord, Chesmain is back in the team.

“I’m just happy to be starting again,” said Chesmain.

“I was out for three weeks with the hamstring, and then I had a few games on the bench, but I just want to kick on now.

“I was in the same situation last season where I started the first game on the bench, so I knew what I had to do to get back in.

"I’d say I did well last year but I want to do better this year.”

Chesmain was at the centre of the game’s controversial moment at Ebbsfleet on Tuesday night.

The hosts were certain they should have had a penalty when he challenged Adam Mekki but referee Isaac Searle said no and awarded Fleet a corner.

Chesmain wasn’t sure but felt Maidstone played well in the goalless draw.

He said: “I felt like I touched the ball but I don’t know, I could have got him afterwards as well.

“It looked like a penalty but I’m not too sure, it all happened so quickly.

"It’s one of those grey areas where you’re not sure what to do but I felt we dealt with the game well.

“I felt like we moved the ball well, we looked confident and we played much better than we did against Dartford.

“I never felt in any trouble, at any stage, and we made chances.

"Even if you’re not putting them away, at least we’re making good chances and getting in the right areas to do the right things.

"There are things we can do better but we’re also doing a lot of things well.”

Chesmain signed a new deal at Maidstone last summer and has also moved house to be nearer the Gallagher.

He said: “I’ve moved down from London to Chatham, which is a lot closer.

“It’s different, I’m still getting used to it, but I like the area.

“Last year, me and my dad were looking for somewhere to move to and, being at Maidstone, he liked the area."

Chesmain makes the short trip down Blue Bell Hill to face Billericay tomorrow.

The Essex side have a number of ex-Stones players in their ranks - Dion Curtis-Henry, Lewis Knight, Jai Reason, Jake Robinson and Lawrie Wilson.

They’re expected to go well this season but have started slowly, winning two of their seven games.

Chesmain said: “We know about them from playing them in pre-season.

"We know what their strengths are and what we have to do to get the better of them. Everyone’s looking forward to the game. It will be a good test.”

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