Jay Saunders has played down the rivalry between Maidstone and Ebbsfleet.

The sides meet in a rearranged National League game at the Gallagher tonight, with outgoing Fleet vice-chairman Peter Varney expecting a hostile reception from the home crowd over his anti-3G views.

For Stones boss Saunders, though, it's just another game as United look for a first league win in 10 matches.

He said: "I know everyone goes on about the rivalry but I don’t get caught up in that.

"The rivalry for me has always been Maidstone-Gillingham.

"Obviously they’re at different levels and now all of a sudden, because we beat Ebbsfleet in the play-offs, it’s become a rivalry.

"I don’t get caught up in that, it’s another game for us.

"It’s a Kent derby, Dover’s a Kent derby, Bromley’s a Kent derby."

Fleet, in 10th, are a point and three places better off than Maidstone, who have a game in hand.

There was a little between the sides in August when Daryl McMahon's men won with two second-half goals and the table suggests they're evenly matched.

Saunders said: "League position-wise, there's not much between the sides.

"They’re doing well in their first season up, which I expected them to do.

"Daryl’s got a good side, he’s doing a good job and he's done a good job over the last few years.

"I know he’s been under a lot of pressure and fair play to him, he’s got them up and they’re having a good season.

"Earlier on in the season there wasn’t a lot in the game - they scored at the right times.

"It’ll be a tough challenge for us because our home form’s not been great.

"We need to get that rub of the green because at the moment we’re certainly not getting that."