Jay Saunders hailed his young Maidstone team’s achievement in confirming a play-off place in their first year in National League South.

The Ryman League champions met their aim for the season with five games to spare after winning 2-1 at St Albans on Saturday.

A magnificent campaign may yet end in title glory - United host rivals Sutton in a second v third clash at the Gallagher on Tuesday night - but whatever happens from here, they can look back on a job well done.

Manager Saunders said: “It’s a phenomenal achievement in our first season up. If I’m being realistic, although I said let’s try and make play-offs, when you’re taking a gamble on the amount of players from lower levels that we have, you don’t know.

“I think the only one we brought in from higher was Joe Healy. Everyone else has come in from lower levels so you’re taking gambles on people and giving them a chance and they’ve repaid that faith.

“It’s a great achievement to make play-offs and it’s something we can look forward to but there’s five other games before that.”

United can’t compete financially with the league’s biggest spenders but Saunders takes satisfaction from building a side with Ryman gems such as Vas Karagiannis, Dan Sweeney and Dumebi Dumaka.

He added: “I think it shows it can be done. Don’t get me wrong, it would be lovely sometimes to go out and think ‘I like him, I’ll go and buy him’ but we’ve always worked on if we can get a good dressing room and a good group of lads together, that they’ll create that bond and have that togetherness and that desire.

“You sign older players and you have to be careful because sometimes they’re not that worried, they just want to play another season and pick up a bit of money, whereas we’ve got lads who’ve come in and had that hunger and desire to better themselves.”

St Albans are in the bottom three in National League South but were top of the form guide after a revival under new boss Ian Allinson.

Goals from Joe Healy and Alex Flisher led Maidstone to victory.

Saunders said: “It’s a big win. I’ve just said to the lads in there it’s a very difficult place to come, the pitch was very hard and bobbly and they’re a team on a good run. A new manager’s come in and they’re fighting for their lives.”