Vas Karagiannis could still have a future at Maidstone – but there’s no way back for Dumebi Dumaka.

With Stones struggling, some fans have been calling for the pair to be recalled from loan spells at Dulwich Hamlet which finish next month.

They were popular on the terraces last season, scoring important goals as Maidstone won promotion to the National League.

But boss Jay Saunders felt Karagiannis let himself down in pre-season – even if the door isn’t shut – while Dumaka simply isn’t in his plans.

Saunders said: “I can only judge people on pre-season and training and Vas came in and was way off it, wasn’t fit enough, wasn’t sharp enough, didn’t do well enough in pre-season and if you’re like that, you aren’t going to get in the team, simple as that.

“Vas probably killed himself because he wouldn’t go out on loan earlier. If he’d gone out earlier he’d have played a few more games and then we don’t know what might have happened.

“I’ve never shut the door on him. I said to him ‘go out and score some goals’ and he’s done that.

“With D, I just think sometimes things don’t work out and he’s one of them.”

Maidstone go to second-placed Lincoln City on Saturday (3pm) and meet Eastleigh at the Gallagher on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Alex Flisher serves a one-game ban at Sincil Bank after picking up his fifth booking against Dagenham, while Anthony Acheampong is expected to be out for a fortnight with a hamstring tear.

Full story in Friday's Kent Messenger