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John Still has called on players to recognise if they are having a bad game as he bids to lead Maidstone into the National South play-offs.
The Stones head to Chippenham this Saturday with the chance to win three league games in a row for the first time this season.
They've been hard to beat, boasting the second-best defensive record with only 30 goals conceded.
But inconsistency has hit their progress and they're four points off the play-offs, albeit with games in hand on all the sides above them.
By acknowledging an off-day, Maidstone can still get results.
Head of football Still said: "We've had some good performances, some very good performances and some disappointing ones as well.
"I don't particularly look at our players and think they've all got inconsistency in them but the facts tell me that has been an issue.
"We've worked so hard on the organisational side to make decisions easier for the players.
"We say, 'look, in this situation, recognise how you're playing and if you're not on it, for whatever reason, play safe, try and bring safety into the game'.
"You haven't got to play great to win games of football, you've got to be organised and disciplined and hopefully that little bit skill we have can make the difference. We don't need people taking risks."
Maidstone played a training-ground game against Dover on Tuesday, giving minutes to Jake Cole, Ryan Johnson, Sam Corne, Lewis Knight, Ibrahim Olutade and Clovis Kamdjo.
All came through bar Kamdjo, who felt his hamstring, so Maidstone's squad is looking pretty healthy going into the business end of the season.
The Stones face two games in four days with the trip to Chippenham followed by a rearranged home match against play-off rivals Bath on Tuesday.
Chippenham ended a run of eight games without a win against Hemel Hempstead last weekend.
They've been struggling but it's the time of year when strange results happen.
Still said: "You get to the last third of the season and I think teams can panic a bit, whether they're up the top and think they can't afford to lose, or down the bottom trying to drag themselves out of it.
"Whoever you're playing, the games have more of an edge.
"I think the so-called better team have to perform on the day or they get beat.
"Look at Bath losing at home to St Albans last weekend.
"I do get a feeling how I think the season is going to go but it doesn't always work out how you think.
"It's football and if I knew all the answers, I'd be worth a fortune."
