Jay Saunders got the perfect response as Maidstone moved to the brink of National League safety.

The boss revealed he and assistant manager Nicky Southall delivered a few home truths after the midweek defeat by Solihull.

The reaction was superb as United produced their best performance in months to beat an AFC Fylde side chasing promotion.

Scroll down for audio

Saunders made five changes - two of them enforced with Seth Nana Twumasi ill and Delano Sam-Yorke injured - and the new-look team delivered.

The 1-0 victory, thanks to Blair Turgott’s first-half goal, leaves the Stones six points clear of the relegation zone with two games left.

Saunders said: “In my head it was going to go one way or the other today.

“The boys got told some home truths after Tuesday by myself and Nicky and obviously we took a lot of stick from fans and stuff, which was deserved, and it was going to go one way or the other today.

“We were going to respond or we were going to crumble - and they responded.

“I thought the crowd, by the way, were outstanding today and I think a lot of that’s down to the players.

“They gave them something to cheer about and I’m just delighted we’ve been able to repay them because I wasn’t happy Tuesday.”

Maidstone’s performance centred on an exciting front three of Andre Coker, Turgott and Jamar Loza after deciding to take the game to Fylde, the division’s top scorers.

Saunders felt their efforts were the catalyst for an outstanding all-round display.

He said: “I thought we were excellent today. For 95 minutes I thought we were the better side and got what we deserved.

“It was was one of them where we built up this week and we said we’re going to go for it really. We had to. We had to change things.

“Fylde, I didn’t think anyone would really give us much hope against them so it was a game where we really wanted to go for it.

“Everything we worked on Thursday at training was being positive with the front three and just trying to express themselves and I thought they were excellent.

“I don’t want to just single them out. I thought their work rate was excellent, though, from the front and it gave us a platform for the midfield and defenders to go on and do their jobs.

“You can say all you want about we were causing them problems and this and that but what pleased me was their work rate off the ball.”

Read the match report from Maidstone's 1-0 victory over AFC Fylde