Maidstone United chairman Paul Bowden-Brown says the club is counting the cost of Saturday's postponed FA Trophy first round home tie against Histon.

The tie at Ashford was called off after the pitch was deemed unplayable and has been rearranged for Tuesday.

Mr Bowden-Brown estimated the club had lost between £2,500 and £3,000 because it still had to pay officials and Histon's travel expenses for Saturday.

"This represents a dark day in terms of expenses for Maidstone," he said.

He added: "The fact that Ashford had to open their ground activated an expense. We have to pay the officials £300 plus two lots of Histon's travel expenses.

"By having to play on a Tuesday night means we lose an estimated 50% on the gate.

"The total loss comes in at between £2,500 and £3,000.

"With no gate money I would go as far as to say it's a disaster because no non-league club is sitting on piles of money in the bank."

If Maidstone beat Histon they will face Salisbury away in the second round.

Dover, Kent's other Trophy representatives, will travel to Fleetwood Town of Blue Square North in the second round.

Player-manager Andy Hessenthaler said: "Unfortunately, it's been a bit cruel to us. But if you are going to go far in this competition you are going to have to go to places like this and get results.

"Whenever southern lads go up north they are labelled southern softies. So we'll make sure we aren't soft."

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