Jay Saunders hopes his long pursuit of a new defender is over after watching Maidstone lose again.

Stones went down 2-1 at Guiseley on Saturday, to remain just a point clear of the National League bottom four.

They need help at the back and it should be arriving any day now, with the player in question free to leave his club after FA Cup third-round commitments.

Scroll down for audio

Manager Saunders said: “We’re hoping to get one in after this weekend.

“Hopefully Monday, Tuesday, we can get something sorted with a defender we’re speaking to. It’s kind of been on the table for a little while now.”

Maidstone started well in west Yorkshire but once again didn’t take their chances and trailed at half-time to Simon Walton’s penalty.

Bobby-Joe Taylor levelled from the spot but Mark Rankine scored an 80th-minute winner.

Stones disputed both goals but Saunders refused to blame bad luck.

He said: “Apparently Lee Worgan spoke to the ref as they were coming off at half-time and he said he thinks he’s got it wrong on the penalty.

“I genuinely couldn’t see it. Apparently there was a little collision but he’s admitted maybe he’s got it wrong but that’s no good to us.

“Second goal, for me, it’s a foul. I’d love to see it on the replay but Rankine, two hands, completely pushes Kevin Lokko out the way and then gets his shot off. That’s a free-kick.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m clutching at straws but really we just don’t seem to be getting anything at the moment.

“You make your own luck and you’ve got to take your chances. That’s what’s killing us this season.

"Don’t get me wrong, we’re nowhere near good enough defensively, there’s too many individual mistakes, but you have to take your chances at key moments.”

Read the match report from Maidstone’s 2-1 defeat at Guiseley