Steve Lovell simply wants to see his Herne Bay players deliver a good performance in their big FA Cup match against Maidstone - regardless of what result that leads to.

Bay will aim to pull off a shock in the third qualifying round as they welcome George Elokobi’s Stones to Winch’s Field with a bumper crowd expected on Saturday.

If National League South Maidstone, who reached the last-16 of the FA Cup last season, find their best form, there may not be much promotion-chasing Isthmian South East outfit Herne Bay can do.

But anything is possible in the FA Cup.

“There will be a good crowd,” said Bay boss Lovell. “We had a couple of good crowds last year for the Ramsgate games and we’ll have some when we play Margate this year, as well.

“The Herne Bay supporters are very good. They’re always behind us and I’m sure that they will be cheering us on.

“The main thing for us is the performance. If we perform well and get beaten, we cannot do anything about that.

Bay midfielder makes team-of-the-week

“But the main thing is we don’t want to go out there and crumble. I’m sure that won’t happen.

“The players are looking forward to it and, as a club, we’re looking forward to it.”

The Stones have had a mixed start to their National League South campaign.

But one-time Wales international striker Lovell warned: “They’re a very good team and George has got them playing very well.

“It’s going to be a difficult game, we know that. They should cause us problems.

“But we will go into it with the same mindset as to how we have approached the previous cup games.

“We’ll need to be at our utmost best to get anything out of it.

"We’ll need to be really on it.”

Bay progressed to the FA Trophy third qualifying round as they won 3-0 against divisional rivals Three Bridges last weekend, man-of-the-match Scott Heard scoring one and being involved in another.

“Heardy is playing really well,” said Lovell. “That’s why we signed Heardy.

"We knew what he could bring to us - his energy and enthusiasm and, not only that, but his ability, as well.

“It rubs off on everybody else. They all work hard.

"When you’re winning games, it breeds confidence.

“We have got a really good squad. It’s not on 11 or even 13 - there’s 18, really fighting for places. We have got a lot of league games that we will need to catch up on.

“Hopefully, we can keep everybody happy for the busy time ahead.”

Heard’s goal late in the first half sandwiched efforts from fellow midfielders Kane Haysman and Artem Kuchkov.

For young Ukrainian prospect Kuchkov, it is three goals in four games as he settles into life at Winch’s Field after his summer switch from Lordswood.

Lovell said: “He’s getting there. He’s a young lad but he’s learning.

“There’s a lot more to come from him but he’s enjoying his football.

“He wants to learn and to get better. He gives us something different and he’s playing with confidence.

“He’s getting goals but, not only is he scoring, he’s getting in positions to create for other people, as well.

"That’s great for the team.”

It is a hectic period for Lovell’s team, who beat Erith Town 5-1 in the Kent Senior Cup at home in midweek. Two-goal Kane Rowland, Frankie Smith, Monty Saunders and Kuchkov were on target.

Recent Velocity Cup and Kent Senior Cup clashes have allowed Lovell and son-assistant Mark Lovell to give some of their fringe players minutes with Bay only having played three league fixtures this term.

Lovell noted: “We don’t have a massive squad so we just need to make sure we get minutes into legs when we can.

"Those players are going to be needed because there’s so many games to catch up on.

“But it is what it is. We just approach every game to try and win and, with the problems that come from that, we will try to address them when they happen - if they happen.

“We’ll just continue to take every game as it comes.”

Herne Bay have been drawn away against newly-promoted Isthmian Premier outfit Chichester in the FA Trophy third qualifying round on Saturday, October 5.