Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon believes the number of Kent derbies this season makes it even harder for his team.

Fleet have already brushed aside Margate 4-0 at Stonebridge Road but they travel to Welling in National League South on Saturday.

With back-to-back games against Dartford on the horizon at the turn of the year, McMahon knows that they can’t afford the frenetic pace of derby games to halt their promotion push.

“It’s unusual to have an area with so many teams at the same level,” said McMahon.

“You’ve got six games where they are more intense than the other games because they are derbies but it’s the same for them as it is for us.

“We’ll all be looking to compete at the top end of the table, so we have to get on with it. Derbies are good games, they are normally quite lively, there will be a few tackles thrown in and our players will enjoy that – we’ve got a few that are lively ourselves!”

The match pits Fleet against former manager Jamie Day, who returned to Welling as first-team coach at the end of last month.

Day, who was appointed Fleet boss in December 2014, lasted just six months at Stonebridge Road before being sacked and eventually replaced by McMahon.

Matt Fish, released by McMahon earlier this season, is also on the Welling line-up.

Read the full interview in Thursday's Gravesend Messenger.