Maidstone are one win away from a return to the top flight of non-league football after 27 years.

Kent rivals Ebbsfleet stand in their way in the National League South play-off final at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Stones last played in the National League – then known as the Conference – in 1989. Boss Jay Saunders was a boy on the terraces back then and knows only too well what’s at stake in the most important game of his five years in charge.

He said: “We’ve had the FA Cup games and winning the Ryman League but this is the biggest game, knowing you’re 90 minutes away from going into the highest level in
non-league football.

“You don’t have to motivate players for a game like this. These are the ones you want to be involved in."

Big-spending Ebbsfleet finished runners-up in National League South, seven points clear of third-placed Stones.

Saunders said: “Ebbsfleet made it clear at the start of the season their aim was to get promoted, whereas we set ourselves the challenge of trying to make the play-offs in our first season up. It’s a massive bonus to be in the final but once you’re there, you want to win it."

Maidstone have everyone available for the final, with the door open to those who missed out in the play-off semi-finals against Truro.

Saunders said: “We’ll go with the team we think will will give us the best chance of winning and (Fleet boss) Daryl McMahon will say the same. If that means bringing someone in who’s not been involved, then that’s what we’ll do."