Hythe manager Steve Watt is looking for the right balance after a crazy game at Littlehampton.

The Cannons drew 4-4 on Saturday after losing the lead three times, with the hosts snatching a point in the last minute.

Watt’s side still boast the fourth-best defensive record in Isthmian South East, with 29 goals conceded in 20 games.

But that’s only five fewer than they conceded in the whole of last season en route to play-offs, with Hythe sacrificing defensive solidity to be more open in attack.

With 37 goals scored, they’re well on track to beat their 22/23 tally of 51, but getting the balance is key for Watt.

The Cannons are back in action at Three Bridges tonight.

“It was a mental game on Saturday,” said Watt. “It should have been about 9-6.

“We missed two one-on-ones, we missed from three yards out and hit the underside of the bar with a free shot from the penalty spot to make it 5-3.

“They should have had a penalty and they also hit the bar.

“It was one of those games where you just have to embrace it and go toe-to-toe and see if you can score more than them. In the end, we didn’t.

“It’s disappointing when you’ve led three times and not been able to hold on and that seems to be a theme at the moment.

“That’s the thing, because we’re a completely different team from last year.

“Most games last year we had six players on the pitch who could play cente-half.

“This year it’s not the case at all - we’ve basically got three.

“We’re definitely not as solid and part of that is through desire and choice because I felt we needed to score more goals if we’re going to be able to compete.

“We’ve done that but, on the flipside, were conceding too many so we’ve got to find a bit of balance. It’s my job to do that.

“It was always going to be hard to replicate what we did last season in terms of how few goals we conceded, so we were conscious of being a bit more front-front and trying to take the game to teams a bit more.”

Hythe welcome back skipper Liam Smith and Kane Phillip tonight, and Watt returns to the touchline.

The trio were given three-match bans following an incident at the end of a League Cup tie at Sittingbourne, while Ethan Smith completes a four-game suspension.

Watt, whose injury list includes goalkeeper Steve Phillips (shoulder), is looking forward to being back alongside assistant manager Alex Flisher in the dugout.

“Flish has done a great job but it’s hard not being on the touchline,” said Watt.

“It’s opened his eyes to management and particularly managing our group of players.

“I think he’s had a couple of sore heads and early nights after games because you have to be 100mph on the touchline with our boys.

“It’s frustrating not being down there because you can’t affect the game as you’d like.

“You can’t instantly sort something like you can on the touchline.

“I’m loud but I know what our team need, so that’s why I do that.

“If I’m not that, you can visibly see a drop off in our performance.

“It’s not that they don’t know what they’re doing, you just need to be on them more than other players.

“If you’ve got a really experienced team I’d imagine you can sit back and watch and tweak things here and there because a lot of the management will be done on the pitch by the players as well.

“I know the balance of our team and what it needs and what I need to do to get the best out of those players.

“We’re conceding a lot of goals and it’s my job to help the boys.

“It’s not the players’ fault, it’s my job, my fault.

“I’ve got to help these players get back to the fundamentals of what made us, us.”

Hythe visit Burgess Hill on Saturday, with Ethan Smith’s return set to be a major boost.

“If you take Ethan out of our team, I don’t think we’re Hythe Town, completely,” said Watt.

“The way we press and work and defend, he’s the catalyst, he’s the spark and he ignites us up there.

“He’s had a hamstring problem in recent weeks so the break has done him good.”