The likes of Jake Cassidy and Conor Wilkinson were way out of Maidstone’s price range.

United looked into signing Cassidy after a successful loan spell from Hartlepool but the figures involved made it a non-starter.

Conor Wilkinson is another striker who would have been ideal but the Gillingham man joined Dagenham last week and scored against the Stones on Saturday.

Maidstone have to take a different approach and instead brought in former Millwall striker Jamie Philpot on trial after Dartford agreed to release him.

The 22-year-old made his debut as a second-half substitute against Dagenham and is a player capable of making an impact at the Gallagher Stadium.

Stones joint caretaker boss Simon Walton said: "We need strikers. We can’t go out and sign Conor Wilkinson for £20,000 or £30,000, whatever he cost.

"We can’t go out and buy Jake Cassidy for £30,000, £40,000.

"That’s the bottom line, that’s the harsh reality of it. It's not going to happen.

"Jamie’s a lad who’s performed at this level, he’s young, he fits in with our ethos and our group of players and he did all right when he came on with some clever lay-offs and he put himself about."

Philpot scored on his Millwall debut in a Championship game against Wolves in 2015.

The forward had loan spells at Bromley, Welling and Woking before leaving the Lions last summer.

He played for the Stones in a pre-season friendly at Folkestone before signing for Dartford.