Maidstone v East Thurrock

MAIDSTONE United joint-manager Alan Walker wants his team to beat East Thurrock on Boxing Day - so they can start 2008 looking up the table rather than down.

Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Horsham moved the Stones up to 12th in the Ryman League Premier Division - one point and two places above Thurrock.

Walker said: "These are the games against the teams around us in the table that we need to be winning so we can starting climbing the table rather than looking over our shoulder.

"We always knew that once we got our key players back from injury we would start to pick up some good results and that’s how it has proved. On our day we can beat anybody.

"We just need to perform at the level we know we are capable of."

Ben Lewis, and Lee Shearer cam through the Horsham game unscathed, while Nick Hegley returns to the squad.

But Lynden Rowland is a major doubt after picking up a knee injury on Saturday while Nathan Paul and Sam Tydeman also face late fitness tests.