Boss Chris Lynch believes Sittingbourne have every chance of pulling off an FA Cup upset this weekend.

Brickies are off to the seaside to face a Bognor Regis side who play a level above them in the Isthmian Premier.

The Rocks were in National League South as recently as two years ago but hold no fear for Lynch in Saturday's first qualifying round tie, having won only once in five games this season.

He said: "It'll be a tough game but they've not had a great start and I'm saying if we're on form I'd expect us to go there and win.

"However, strange things happen in football, and they are a league above us for a reason.

"We've also got to plan for the fact it may be a chance for them to kickstart their season but if we go there, do our jobs right and be disciplined and professional, I'm sure we'll come away with the win.

"They've got some great players but for whatever reason it's not clicked for them at the moment.

"We're at a point where I've seen that and I know what tactics I'll be deploying to combat their strengths and expose their weaknesses."

There's no reason for Sittingbourne's young side to feel nervous going to a higher-league club - not when the manager has so much faith in them.

Lynch added: "It's no secret we've got a very young side here.

"I wanted up-and-coming hungry young players who for whatever reason haven't quite made it to the pro leagues or have been released and are on their way back.

"It's about working with professional people who want to go and do really well and are desperate to achieve and, under me, they'll always get a chance.

"If we go back to the Ramsgate game, most people would have said, 'Chris, what are you doing? You're putting out a very, very young side against a team who beat us 4-0 last year.'

"Of course, it takes a brave manager to do that sometimes and we went and won the game.

"You look at the likes of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger and their record with young players.

"They've seen how good they are and they've trusted those players and believed in them. For me, that's massive.

"I believe in the players we have, otherwise they wouldn't be at the club.

"I don't think age is a barrier, I just think they need to learn that experience side of the game.

"Are they good enough? Yes, they are, and you've seen that against Ramsgate."

Sittingbourne conceded twice in the last seven minutes to draw 2-2 with East Grinstead in Isthmian South East at the weekend.

Goals from Roman Campbell and Enoch Adjei put them in charge but a controversial penalty gave the visitors a route back and they levelled at the death.

Lynch felt the foul was actually on Brickies defender Cory Walters Wright - as well as being outside the box.

He said: "I'm not one for blaming officials. This is genuinely the first time I have ever said to a member of the press that I cannot answer what was going through the ref's head."

The Brickies were due at Sevenoaks in Group 9 of the Velocity Trophy last night.