Maidstone face Met Police less than 48 hours on from their FA Cup first round replay – after the Ryman League rejected a request to move the match to January.

Stones hosted League 2 Stevenage in front of the BT Sport cameras on Thursday night, with boss Jay Saunders saying the cup run has put them on the map.

But they’ve fallen seven points behind Margate in the Ryman League, Premier Division title race – albeit with four games in hand – and are bound to be feeling the effects of Stevenage at Met Police on Saturday (3pm).

The Met couldn’t play on Sunday and the Ryman League turned down an alternative date suggested by the clubs.

Saunders said: “The FA Cup has put the club on the map. Everyone’s been talking about Stevenage but in the back of my mind, I’m thinking about Met Police.

“We asked Met Police about switching the game to Sunday. Their manager couldn’t do it as he’d have players missing but he was happy to move the game to another date.

“We agreed a date but the league wouldn’t allow it. They let us postpone two games leading up to FA Cup ties, then they make you play less than 48 hours after.

“The league can’t be seen to be favouring anyone but they’ve been getting a lot of publicity out of us, none more so than having an FA Cup replay live on national TV.”

League secretary Kellie Discipline said: “We were happy for the game to be played on Sunday but we couldn’t move it to the date in January out of fairness to the other 22 clubs.”

Maidstone are almost certain to make changes at Met Police.

Saunders said: “There will be disappointed players who didn’t start against Stevenage who will start on Saturday.”