Hythe Town will provide a tough test for Sittingbourne

Joe Dowley continued to scour his contacts book for potential new signings ahead of Sittingbourne’s derby at Hythe Town this weekend.

The Sittingbourne manager is optimistic he can reinforce his squad but has been repeatedly thwarted during the past seven days, with several targets unavailable or too expensive.

“It’s a difficult time of year to be bringing players in,” he said. “Most of the players we’ve 
spoken to are happy where they are and are playing regularly. Money’s also an issue, although the chairman [Andy Spice] has said there is money available for signings if needed.”

Although the luckless Jack Hooper looks like he will be out for the season with the knee injury he aggravated during an abortive comeback against Whitehawk, there was some good news for Dowley. The rest of his squad have been given a clean bill of health, meaning the Brickies will otherwise be at full strength for the Ryman Division One South game at Reachfields.

Hythe, who will be without their experienced skipper Dave Cook as he serves a four-game 
suspension, are a team Dowley knows well.

“I watched them last week at Ebbsfleet in the Kent Senior Cup,” he said. “I’ve been playing with Aaron Lacy since I was about 17 and I also know Brendon Cass and Nick Reeves. It should be a good game. We need three points and hopefully we can get them. We were a bit unlucky not to get anything when we last played them.”

When the teams last met at Bourne Park in November, Hythe ran out 2-1 winners, thanks to two goals early in the second half from Cass.

Like virtually every other game in the county last week, Sittingbourne’s home fixture with Corinthian Casual was postponed and they were also forced to abandon plans to train on Tuesday night due to snow on the Bourne Park pitch.

The Corinthian game will now be played on Tuesday, February 28.

Sittingbourne were awarded the Ryman 
Division One South performance-of-the-month award for January for their 2-0 win over Whitehawk, when they ground out a wholly unexpected win against a team who would have been top of the table but for a points deduction.