Lovell keeps faith with Trabelsi - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Sittingbourne boss Steve Lovell will give Tunisian Sabeur Trabelsi time to settle into Ryman League football, writes Stephen McCartney.

Trabelsi was handed his first start of the season in the Brickies’ 3-1 win over Kent League side Thamesmead Town in the preliminary round of the FA Cup last Saturday.

Lovell watched the first fifteen minutes of the game from the elevated position from the back of the stand at Bourne Park before making his way to the technical area, replacing Trabelsi with Ricky Spiller just five minutes later.

The substitution worked, however, as fourteen minutes later Spiller whipped in a cross to set up striker Mark Lovell, who scored the first of his two goals.

Sittingbourne revealed last Saturday that it has taken them one year to get international clearance for the player, whose played international football for Tunisia, and played in their first division.

“To be fair Sab has been with us only a little time,” Lovell revealed EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.  

“I gave him a chance as he scored three in the reserves and I thought I’d give him another go.”

But Lovell, whose side travel to Croydon Athletic on Saturday, before returning to Mayfields in the Westview Cup next Tuesday night, explained behind the 20^th minute substitution of the FA Cup debutant.

“It was just a tactical change,” he said. “I didn’t think it was working and I had to do it quickly.

“I made the change and we scored two goals pretty soon after so sometimes these things happen and as a manager you have to make these decisions and hopefully they work for you - this time it did.

“Sabs a good lad and I’ll have a chat with him and he’ll come back stronger for it.

“If we can work on things that he needs to work on then he won’t have a problem.”