Hopefully we can have a nice run in The FA Trophy, says Whitstable Town boss Nicky Southall

The Oystermen were dumped out of The FA Cup by lower league Tunbridge Wells in the Preliminary Round, losing 2-0 at home after coming back from Culverden Stadium with a goal-less draw.

Whitstable Town travel to Sittingbourne tomorrow to contest a FA Trophy Preliminary Round tie and with £2,500 up for grabs, Southall knows how important it is to bag a win.

“I’m expecting a very tough game,” said Southall.

“It’s a huge game for both clubs in terms of financial revenue for both clubs.

“Sittingbourne have had a nice run in The FA Cup so hopefully we can have a nice run in The FA Trophy.

“It’s a big local derby again against a team that I’ve been on the wrong side in recent times so we’ve got to be on our guard.”

Whitstable Town made the trip to Woodstock in August and came away with a 1-0 defeat in the Ryman League Division One South.

Since then, the Brickies have sacked managers Jim and Danny Ward and have installed Nick Davis and Matt Wyatt as caretaker managers and the club travel to Conference South side Staines Town in The FA Cup Third Qualifying Round next weekend.

When asked whether that result has any bearing on tomorrow’s Trophy tie, Southall said: “It doesn’t really because it was a very difficult game.  It was their first game of the season at their new ground.

“We didn’t play particularly well but neither did them really – it was a game of not many chances.

“We know what they’re about and they know what we’re about.

When asked how it will be won tomorrow, Southall says his side must dominate both penalty boxes.

“How will it be won? It will be won with the right attitude,” replied the former Gillingham ace.

“We’ve created loads of chances and not taken them. I believe on a difficult surface at Sittingbourne we have to get the ball down and pass it in the right areas.

“If we do our job correctly and defend well and we do our job correctly and take our chances.

“Everyone says the midfield areas is the most important.  I don’t believe in that. I believe the game is won and lost in the final third and in both defence and attacking areas – that’s where mistakes happen and goals are created.”

Whitstable Town progressed through to the last eight of the Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com when Craig Thompson’s first goal for the club saw off bitter rivals Herne Bay at The Belmont.

But skipper James Morrish, John Guest and Steve Hafner were all sent-off in an explosive clash.

“We won on Tuesday in the cup against Herne Bay to our cost really,” admitted Southall.

“We had three players sent off and we’ve got bans coming up.  We’ve got to safe guard ourselves and apply ourselves in a professional manner and we have to cut out all what went on, on Tuesday.

“You can’t keep winning games if you keep having players sent off – they’ve all been disciplined and they have to be professional.

“I’ve been talking to the press all week and I said to my players that’s what I’m going to get when you have three players sent off and the mass confrontation in the game.

“I want to be talking to the press about how well we played against Herne Bay and we absolutely dominated the game from start to finish with ball possession and chances created.

“Ultimately we end up talking about the other bits of pieces that went on which soured the game in a distasteful manner.”

Southall wants his players to keep their cool against Sittingbourne tomorrow where Kentish bragging rights are at stake.

“The difficult thing is for a Kent team to be up in the Ryman South because the majority is Kent based so any Kent team to win Ryman South is a great achievement because you’ve got so many derbies going on and there’s always something riding on them,” said Southall.

“It’s what you have to cope with. We know these derbies come around thick and fast. The players’ get to know each other opposition wise quite quick because they tend to play each other regularly.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk  

Sittingbourne  v  Whitstable Town
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round
Saturday 5^th October 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Woodstock Park, Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8AG