Manager Jay Saunders is more than happy with Tom Wraight and backs him to win over Maidstone fans.

Wraight returned to the starting line-up for the FA Cup replay win at Enfield on Tuesday but has had his critics since joining from East Thurrock in the summer.

The winger arrived as a replacement for crowd favourite Alex Flisher and while his progress was halted by an ankle injury, Saunders has total faith.

He said: “Tom’s had a tough start to his time at the club because he’s had injuries and this and that so it’s nice for him to get back in the side and I thought he was excellent.

“He’s someone I’ve been after for a few years and I think he’s a very, very good player.

“He can play the No.10 role as well, he’s got great delivery, his crossing’s excellent, he’s very good in the air and he does normally score goals.

“When you come to a new club and you go from evening training like he was doing at East Thurrock to suddenly going daytime and a group of lads that you don’t know, it’s tough.

“I’ve got no issue. He’s been excellent for what he has done for us.

“We don’t pay any attention to what people say.

“I always say to the boys, ‘don’t worry what people talk about outside of the changing room’.

“We’ve got belief in the squad we’ve got, all the boys believe in each other so we don’t let anything like that affect us.”

Meanwhile, Saunders says it up to out-of-favour midfielder Jack Paxman to take his chances.

Paxman started the first game against Enfield after a spell out of the side but was back on the bench for the replay.

With Ollie Muldoon coming in and set to deputise for the unavailable Reece Prestedge at AFC Fylde on Saturday, Paxman is further down the pecking order.

Saunders said: “If you ask him, he’s probably not had the best of seasons so far.

“Pax is Pax, he knows what I think of him, I’ve had him here a long time.

“The squad has moved up a notch and there’s a lot of competition this year.

“He’s no different to anyone else.

“Over the course of the season they all get chances and it’s up to them to take them - simple as.

“For me, I don’t think he did enough on Saturday and I felt Tom Wraight would be the better option for the replay.”