This weekend one of two all Kent Isuzu FA Trophy sides sees Ramsgate head for Reachfields to face Hythe Town seven days before hosting Woking in the Emirates FA Cup.  

But the home side will be looking to reach the next stage of the competition for the very first time in the Clubs history, a task that boss Steve Watt has challenged his side to meet.

“We’re trying to reach a round that the Club has never reached before in its history,” the manager told us.

“This group is trying to create another bit of Club history but it’s going to be a very tough ask as we’re all well aware of the squad that Ramsgate has put together and what they’ve achieved so far this season, and we know we’re going to be up against it.” 

“But the thing is with this group with the mentality and the culture that we’ve built here over the last season, we love a challenge and love to prove people wrong, so we’ll hopefully be able to do that on Saturday!” 

Hythe go into the weekend on a run of one defeat in their last eight games, but the manager admitted, “I am not one to look at things like that. What’s happened in the past or runs that you have been on are in the past and I only look at the next game.

“I did not know that at all, I do not look behind; I just look forward. It is something that I always say to the players, it does not matter what’s gone on in previous games or the run that you are on, because all that matters is the next game!” 

“Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to be on a run, but we could and probably should be a lot higher than we are in terms of the League as we’ve either conceded sloppy goals or wonder strikes like we did against Ashford.

“We should beat Erith & Belvedere and have another four points at least maybe seven better off than what we actually are. But you get what you deserve, we have not been so tight defensively conceding sloppy goals which is uncharacteristic for us at the moment, but the pleasing thing is that we have been very, very good and deserved more than what we have got.

“I would rather be in that position where we are scoring more goals than we did last year at this point, which is something that we wanted to address. I would say we have not been solid defensively, we have just conceded some uncharacteristic goals which have cost us points!” 

“I’m more than happy with the way that the boys are playing and the performances that they’re putting on.” 

“When they are on the run of form that they are, is there a good time to play Ramsgate?

“What they have been doing you just want another game as quickly as possible. You could say that as we have had a blank week it could help, but I will not read too much into it.

“I have read a lot this week that they will have one eye on their Cup tie with Woking the following week, but I do not believe that will be the case. They will be wanting to progress in the Trophy as far as they can and although it is a different team, different squad, and different manager, they will probably also be looking for revenge for last season’s Play Off Semi Final defeat.

“I do not expect Ben (Smith) to turn up and rest a lot of players and be disrespectful to us with the utmost respect they know they will be in for a very, very tough game.”