Maidstone manager Jay Saunders has called on the National League to allow seven substitutes.

United have one of the smaller squads compared to the division’s big-hitters but a five-man bench isn’t enough in the modern game.

Over the past week they’ve loaned Harry Phipps to Welling while Seth Twumasi and Harley Willard, players with Premier League backgrounds, didn’t even make the bench against Dagenham on Monday.

Saunders believes it’s time the National League changed the rules.

He said: “I think it should be seven subs.

“You look in the Football League and it’s seven so I can’t get my head around why it’s not in this league but it is what it is.

“We always gamble and don’t have a keeper on the bench but if you can have seven subs, it gives you better options.

“I’m not aware of the league speaking about changing it but in the FA Cup you can have seven subs, so we’ll see.”

This isn’t a case of Saunders trying to make his job easier - he accepts making big calls is part of the job.

The squad was stretched at the start of the season but with the likes Johan ter Horst and Alex Finney now back from injury, Saunders has plenty of decisions to make.

He said: “It’s always hard leaving people out but I quite like making those decisions.

“Since we started the season I’ve not been able to make those decisions but I prefer that to having a small squad.

“It’s a squad game. Seth and Harley have missed out but I’m sure they’ll get their chance again.”

“You look at York last year, coming down from League 2.

“They came here first game of the season as one of the favourites to win the league and ended up going down again.

“It’s a very difficult league and I don’t think people realise that.

“They’ve not had the best of starts but I’d expect it to be a tough game.”