Jay Saunders is out to put his opening-day woes behind him when Maidstone start the new football season.

United launch their Ryman League, Premier Division campaign at home to Wealdstone on Saturday and manager Saunders, who believes he has a squad capable of challenging for promotion, is desperate to start with a win after years of disappointment.

He said: “I don’t know what it is about the first game of the season but my record’s not great and I’d like to put it right.

“I lost my first two as a manager – against Whitehawk and Walton & Hersham – and I struggled as a player as well.

“Chris Kinnear, my old Margate manager, used to leave me out and say I was always rubbish in the first game. Then I went to Gravesend and Andy Ford did the same.

“It’s a strange one but it’s important we put on a performance against Wealdstone. If we turn up and work hard, we can cause them problems.”

Captain Steve Watt misses the first two matches through suspension so Graeme Andrews is likely to partner Jerrome Sobers on Saturday and at Carshalton on Tuesday.

Saunders added: “I want to take this club as far as I can, so to sit here and say we’d be happy to stay up would be silly. If we start well and are somewhere around the top at Christmas then we’ve got every chance.”

Don't miss your three-page Stones season preview in this week's Kent Messenger.