Whitstable Town entertain Egham Town in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy this weekend with boss Lee Martin continuing to build momentum at the Belmont.
The events of early summer have been well documented when management and players moved on after being SCEFL Champions last season, but following his appointment, slowly but surely, Martin has been putting a side together to carry the Oystermen back into their first season of Isthmian League football.
This weekend, they move away from the league as Egham make the trip to Kent just seven days after being dumped out of the FA Cup by Chatham Town. When we spoke to Martin, we asked him if he had been able to see any of that game for clues. “We got a little bit of a lens on them after last Saturday. You never really know too much before a game, but they are in the same league at Porchester who we beat 3-1 in the last round. So, it will be a good fixture, and we are looking to right our wrongs and get a positive result!”
“I think it’s also a nice distraction at this stage to have all these cup ties,” Martin admitted. “It’s definitely a tie that we want to go and win. We were unlucky on Tuesday night losing by the only goal at Margate in the Kent Cup. We had one off the post and missed a one-on-one and so we are itching and ready to put that result right and go again on Saturday. It’s definitely a cup run that we are looking at and forward to and hopefully we can push on!”
“We have played only three or four League games, and I think it’s a weird set-up really that the authorities I believe need to look at in terms of the start of the season and cup and trophy runs on top of league fixtures.
“We have been Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday more or less every week since the start of the season. It’s not been easy on the players, hence why we have nine players injured at the moment.
“We are itching to get back to league games and get back to basics. I do think the schedule has to be looked at – the number of fixtures that we have had to absorb since August has been quite compelling – teams now are coming out saying about injury lists.
“You have to realise that these boys have another job before football… they play football for a secondary income, and they find it tough on their body. It’s difficult and I think they must have a look at it definitely!”