Caretaker manager Alex Flisher will leave Hythe after tonight’s home match against Sittingbourne.

Flisher, No.2 under former boss Steve Watt, informed chairman Gary Johnson of his decision following the 1-0 defeat by Phoenix Sports at the weekend.

The Cannons have been without a manager since Watt brought forward plans to leave at the end of the season after a 5-2 defeat at Beckenham 10 days ago.

Player-coach Frannie Collin was in charge for the 8-3 midweek defeat at Three Bridges, with Flisher away on a family break.

Flisher returned against Phoenix, while Collin was at a wedding, as Hythe suffered their eighth successive defeat in Isthmian South East.

But the Cannons will need a new man in charge at Broadbridge Heath on Saturday, with Flisher and Collin out of the equation.

Flisher has coaching commitments with son Louis’ under-7 youth team at Maidstone, while it doesn’t sit right to remain at Hythe without Watt, the man who brought him to Reachfields.

“The chairman asked me after the game on Saturday to do Tuesday night and I said that would be my last one,” said Flisher, who is struggling to get a side together for the rearranged Sittingbourne fixture.

“We’re at Broadbridge on Saturday and even if Watty was still here, I wouldn’t be at that game because my priority is Louis’ team and I don’t want to be leaving them early to make the meet-up time.

“I was doing that before Hythe came up and I don’t want to let those boys down. Watty was always fine with that. I missed Horndean away earlier this season for that reason.

“The club need to get someone in for Saturday and I think they’re working on that.

“I thought about staying on for the rest of the season but Louis’ team have got a cup final coming up at the start of May and I want to be there for their games.

“It’s also out of respect for Watty. He actually said to me, ‘I don’t care if you stay to the end of the season’ but I don’t want to be one of those No.2s where the gaffer goes and the No.2 is sneaky and stays on and gets himself a job.

“He told me he’d never think that, and I know he wouldn’t, but from the outside I don’t want to be classed as that.

“I wouldn’t be there without him so I’d rather let someone else take over the reins with a couple of games left and see what players they’ve got to work with for next year.”

Hythe had 11 fit players against Phoenix, with the five-man bench made up entirely of injured lads.

Jack Steventon went on for Josh Stirman, despite nursing a groin problem, while Lex Allan (knee), Jarred Trespaderne (shoulder), Sam Flisher and Ethan Smith (both hamstring) were also named to make up the numbers.

The situation looks equally difficult against Sittingbourne, with only 10 players available as of last night.

“We’re down to the bare bones,” said Flisher.

“I’ve said to the boys you’ve got to go out and, not put on a show, but don’t get absolutely battered and have people looking at you as a team that’s given up.

“Whether it’s a new gaffer here or you want to go somewhere else next season, you need to impress people and show you can still do it without Watty.

“We actually played well on Saturday. We dominated most of the game. We just couldn’t score. That’s been the story of the second half of our season.”