Ebbsfleet can lay down a marker against title rivals Oxford City this weekend when the sides clash in the FA Trophy.

Leaders Fleet are 10 points ahead of third-placed Oxford in National League South and the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Stonebridge Road last month.

Saturday’s first-round tie at Marsh Lane may have no direct bearing on the promotion race but Ebbsfleet boss Daryl McMahon believes there is more at stake than just getting through.

"It’s a big game because it’s against Oxford and we go there looking to win," he said.

"Maybe both of us can lay a marker down. We’ve got to go there later in the season in the league.

"We had a good game here. We probably just shaded it, even though we didn’t win the game. It’ll be an interesting tie."

Fleet beat Molesey 4-1 in the last round but McMahon was unhappy despite the result.

He said: "I know we beat Molesey but that’s one of the games I look at and think ‘that wasn’t great’. We had a chat at the training ground about the standards we’ve set this season as a group and we didn’t reach them.

"It’s not about just the result, it’s about the performance as well. We could have beaten Molesey 1-0 and everyone would have moaned about the score.

"But if I can see the team putting in the right work ethic and playing how we can play, I don’t mind. When we win 4-1 but it’s not how we should be playing, that annoys me."