Manager Danny Kedwell has admitted he doesn’t really enjoy facing struggling sides as his in-form Ashford team prepare to host basement boys Phoenix Sports.

The much-improved Nuts & Bolts will look to make it seven wins from nine Isthmian South East matches on Saturday.

But Kedwell has warned his players they cannot rest on their laurels ahead of the match, with the Gillingham fans’ favourite conceding he has always much preferred testing himself against the better teams in the division throughout his career.

He said: “They’re going to win a game at some point. We just need to make sure it’s not against us.

“I’d rather play the top teams than the bottom teams. Even when I was a player, you can have that mentality of ‘Oh, we’re going to win’ - but as a manager, you need to make sure that they (his players) don’t have that mentality.

“We just need to go into the game with the mentality we have had in the last eight games, which has got us six wins, a draw and a loss.”

While Ashford’s weekend visitors are some eight points away from safety, they are much-improved since Darren Anslow replaced Keith McMahon at the helm in early October.

They drew 1-1 at home to Broadbridge Heath last weekend while striker Richard Pingling has got six goals under Anslow.

“I know Darren very well,” revealed Kedwell. “He’s a very good coach and a very good manager. He knows his football and knows plenty of players.

“When you’re down towards the bottom, it can be difficult to get out because it just seems that everything goes against you.

“I’m sure he will be winning a few games with them - and we have just got to make sure that it’s not on Saturday!”

Top scorer Gary Lockyer’s 20th goal this season proved the difference as Ashford secured a 2-1 win at Sheppey last weekend.

Kedwell said: “He’s so dangerous in this league.

“He might not be in the game but you can never take Gary off because, with that one chance, he always seems to put it away.

“In the first half on Saturday, he had nothing but he got that chance - and he scores.”

Lockyer netted after midfielder James Dunne had put the Nuts & Bolts ahead on the rebound from an early penalty, won by teenage Dartford loanee Gabe Campbell.

“Gabe was brilliant,” noted Kedwell. “He’s lightning.

“When you have got that pace running at you, that’s not a good thing for the other team. He was very positive and that’s what I had told him at half-time, to just be positive. They’re not going to catch you and they’ll either foul you or you’ll be in. He did that.

“He’s only 18, a young kid, so imagine what he’s going to be like in two or three years’ time.”

With Craig Stone (calf) still not fit to return and 41-year-old player-assistant Dean Beckwith struggling after he had filled in during the previous weekend’s 3-1 win over Herne Bay, ex-Dartford defender Ronnie Vint helped Kedwell employ a different game-plan.

Kedwell said: “Ronnie’s experienced and calm on the ball, and he plays the way I like to play.

“On Saturday, I felt we went a bit longer than what we normally do - but that was our game-plan on the day - and you have got to have different game-plans.

“You can’t stick with your one game-plan and you lose, and that’s something I found out at the beginning of the season. You have got to have a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C.

“We went with Plan B and that worked.”

Former reality TV show Love Island contestant Vint might not be available every week due to off-the-field commitments.

But the 28-year-old is a handy man for Kedwell to call upon from time to time.

“When Ronnie can play, he’ll help me out,” said the boss.

“With someone with his ability, that’s not a bad option to have.”

Experienced defender Stone may return for the game with Phoenix, but right-back Barry Fuller (thigh) will need to be assessed.