Whitstable players have been told to manage their time better or face being left out of manager Nicky Southall’s plans.

Southall revealed four members of his squad phoned him just hours before Tuesday’s home game against Redhill to say they were working and couldn’t play.

The Oystermen came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 but Southall wasn’t happy to have his plans disrupted at such short notice.

He said: “I had to make five changes from the team that played against Walton Casuals because players couldn’t get off work. It was crazy, what I had to deal with.

“I can’t have people phoning me up on the day of the game, telling me they can’t get time off work. It’s not good for me and it’s not good for the club. The players have got to try to shift their work plans around our games.

“It’s a big responsibility to get time off work and it isn’t easy, I know that. But it’s not good enough when I find out five players are missing on the day of the game, especially when it’s a home game and they don’t have to travel far.

“I might have to re-assess and speak to the chairman because if they can’t make it every week, I might have to find other players who can.”

Whitstable go into Saturday’s game at Merstham a point above the Ryman League, Division 1 South relegation zone thanks to the win over Redhill.