MAIDSTONE United manager Jim Ward goes into the New Year hopeful his side can still finish in one of the two promotion places in the Bass Brewers Kent League. Stones, fourth in the Premier Division, meet Hythe at Central Park on Saturday (Kick off 3pm).

A win will keep the pressure on the teams above them, VCD, Cray and Deal. "The 2-0 victory over Erith last week has put us back in with a chance," said Ward. "It will be hard to catch VCD but we have 14 games left and, although there is no room for error, second place at least is not out of the question."

Ward added that he is happy with his squad which will be strengthened in the coming weeks with the return from injury of Paul Ribbens and Dave Scott.

He also confirmed that the club have put in an approach for Erith winger Peter Adeniyi who impressed against Maidstone. "We are close to being a very good footballing side and, even if we do not win promotion this season, we are at least building the foundations for next year," he said.

Against Hythe, Ian Court is available after serving a one-match suspension, but the manager is hoping to start with an unchanged side with Steve Butler and Richard Sinden leading the attack.

Maidstone chairman Paul Bowden-Brown enters 2002 confident that, after 14 years, the club will finally gain permission to build a new stadium in the town. The Stones are working in partnership with the borough council and a planning application for the site at James Whatman Way is due to be submitted in April with the club possibly receiving the go-ahead to start work by the end of the summer.