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Reaction from Maidstone United manager Jay Saunders after 3-1 win at Wrexham

Jay Saunders can’t believe Maidstone still aren’t safe from relegation.

It would take an extraordinary turnaround for United to slip out of the National League after the 3-1 win at Wrexham on Good Friday maintained their five-point gap to the bottom four.

But with wins for Braintree, York and Woking, they’re not quite over the line despite moving into 15th place on 53 points.

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Maidstone boss Jay Saunders Picture: Andy Jones
Maidstone boss Jay Saunders Picture: Andy Jones

Teams below them have only three games left, while United have four, so victory over Boreham Wood on Easter Monday would put the issue to bed.

Boss Saunders said: “I’ve never known anything like it to be honest - the league’s crazy.

“After 53 points I did believe that would be us done and dusted.

“I suppose teams are running out of games but mathematically we’re not safe and that’s crazy really. The boys in there are not going to switch off.”

Lee Worgan, whose penalty save at Ebbsfleet last season clinched promotion, produced more heroics from the spot at Wrexham.

He saved from Anthony Barry to keep Stones 2-1 in front and they made sure of victory with a late third as Alex Flisher added to goals from Joe Pigott and Jamar Loza.

Saunders said: “I just said to him in there if that’s the result that keeps us in this league it will be a fitting way really, that we came up because of his penalty save and maybe stayed up because of it.

Maidstone keeper Lee Worgan Picture: Martin Apps
Maidstone keeper Lee Worgan Picture: Martin Apps

“It was a big turning point. At that stage, 2-2 away from home then tiredness creeps in but he’s pulled off a great save and then reacted and pushed it away and we’ve gone on and got the third.”

Stones have taken six points from long trips to Gateshead, Macclesfield and Wrexham over the past week - a terrific effort given all the travelling.

Saunders said: “It’s a great return. If I’m honest with you I’d have taken three points from all of them - a point at each wouldn’t have bad with the travel - but the first three points at Gateshead set us up and then this one’s another massive result.

“I think the teams around us were probably looking at this and going ‘they’re going to slip up there with the journeys’ so for us that’s a great six points.

“I said at the start of the week it was going to be tough with the travelling and everything and the games so close together but we’ve shown great character to go a goal down and come back.

“It was a good performance and shows how far we’ve come in the short space of time to be coming back here and beating them.”

Read the match report from Maidstone's 3-1 win at Wrexham

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