Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell believes a tough trip to Folkestone is an ideal end to their pre-season campaign.

Their final friendly of the summer against Isthmian Premier side Invicta comes a week before their league season gets under way when Burgess Hill make the trip to Winch’s Field.

“Saturday will be a very tough game,” Lovell said.

“It will be nice to have a game against tough opposition.

“The confidence is high with the boys, we have scored a lot of goals in pre-season, not conceded that many, it will be a tough test.

“It will show us what we have to deal with against the better teams. Defensively it will be good to get the shape work right and if we can still create chances against teams like that then the confidence will rise again.

“The boys will know it is going to be a harder game and that is the way it is. If we have a cup game later in the year against higher opposition that is what you get. It will be nice to go down and play against Folkestone, it’s a good club, should be a nice pitch, it’s the ideal finish I think for pre-season.”

Folkestone beat Hythe Town 5-1 last weekend but Lovell won’t be interested in the scoreline after his side make the trip to Cheriton Road.

He said: “We have played the likes of Margate and had a good result against them but it is not about results, it’s about people getting fit and getting the game understanding.

“When you completely start afresh, which we have done - we have signed 20 new players - it will take a while to get us to understand each other but we’re getting there and hopefully by the time Burgess Hill come to us a week Saturday then we’ll be fine.”

Lovell’s senior side took on the under-23s in a behind-closed-doors match last Saturday, another useful afternoon for the management team as they put their final plans in place for the new term.

“It was good,” said the Bay manager. “It gives me a chance to have a look at them and do a bit of shape work and good for the boys to have another 90 minutes for some of them.

“We did all right, it was nice to see some goals and we were creating things which we should. I wanted to have one against the under-23s to see what they had rather than another friendly, we have had quite a lot, and we have one left which will be a tough one on Saturday.”

Lovell says they won’t be adding trialist Emmanuel Morrison to the squad.

“He won’t be in the first team and he needs to go and play,” said the manager.

“He can stay by all means and train but he needs to go and play, I can give him games in the under-23s but I think he is better than that. He can go and play at a level that suits him. If I can help him in any way then I will do.”

And the Bay boss is keeping his options open should players become available in the early weeks of the season.

He said: “In the first couple of games of the season everyone finds their feet, usually there are one or two who are not happy and clubs might want to release them, or whatever.

“There might be people who become available, but at the moment I am very pleased with what we have got and the way we are progressing and I am looking forward to the start.”