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Maidstone United manager Jay Saunders always fancied an FA Cup upset at Cheltenham

Jay Saunders felt the Football League experience in Maidstone's squad always gave them a chance against Cheltenham.

United enjoyed the underdogs tag at Whaddon Road but fancied their chances of an FA Cup upset against the League 2 Robins.

No one expected victory to be quite so emphatic - Stones racing into a 3-0 lead on their way to a 4-2 success - but there was certainly no inferiority complex given the players United had at their disposal.

Maidstone boss Jay Saunders Picture: Steve Terrell
Maidstone boss Jay Saunders Picture: Steve Terrell

Manager Saunders said: "When we were in the Ryman League, if you look at the side we had, we were part-time and we didn't have many players that had played at Football League level.

"I think Steve Watt was probably the only one with league experience when we beat Stevenage in the FA Cup.

"You come here and you've got the likes of Alex Wynter, who's played League 1, Alex Finney, who's on loan from a Championship club, Seth Twumasi's played League 1, Joe Anderson's played League 2.

"You go through midfield and you've got Stuart Lewis, who's played 300 league games, Joe Pigott's played League 1, Zavon Hines has played in the Premier League, Delano Sam-Yorke's played in the league.

"So you're looking through it and you go, 'do you know what, we've got players that have done it.'

"I never felt we'd be nervous and that's why I had that confidence.

"Having watched their last five games I felt the front three could cause them real problems."

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