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Hythe Town boss Nick Davis knows just how big Saturday’s game is as they look to bounce back from a heavy league defeat.
The Cannons suffered a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Sittingbourne in Isthmian South East last Saturday and next up is a home match against fellow strugglers Lancing.
Davis had three of his back four missing against the Brickies, but the result has added to the pressure this weekend.
“It’s huge,” Davis said, looking ahead to Saturday.
“They caused [leaders] Beckenham a lot of problems last weekend. They are very well organised and their rotation is good.
“There is no easy game but I feel at home against them we’ve got to win that game.
“No two ways about it, we need to get out of that bottom four as soon as we can and try and put some points on the board.”
Davis’ team were in action last night (Tuesday) at Deal Town in a Kent Senior Cup second round tie, losing 3-0.
With a small squad, rotating his team isn’t easy.
Davis said: “We might get one or two [signings] over the line before this Saturday.
“We’re always looking to strengthen, to make us stronger, certainly in depth but there are certain positions that seem impossible to bring in and that is across the board, speaking to all managers, not just us.
“At this time of the season good players are settled and don’t want to move.
“We are having to take chances on players who have not played many minutes and are coming back from injury and with that we’re not the fittest team in the world.
“We are having to do work during the season to try and get these players fit in the small window we have with them, but this is the hand we were dealt and we knew it would be difficult, but it’s a long season and things can change very quickly.
“Hopefully they do, sooner rather than later.”
Their heavy defeat last weekend was a painful one.
Davis said: “It was a very even first 20-25 minutes. We thought, ‘okay, if we can keep it like this’ we’re away from home, we know how strong they are but we then conceded and then unfortunately we had conceded four before half-time. Ridiculous. Fair play to Sittingbourne, they're a very good side.
“We were a little bit patched up, especially defensively. We're at a position where we need to go with our strongest side if we're going against the top five side at the minute.
“Our captain Lex (Allan) was one of those missing, suspended for the the one game. It was a tough ask for us anyway. It was a little bit makeshift, certainly in defence, and I think the scoreline showed that unfortunately.
Isthmian South East table
“In recent weeks, we've been pretty good but sendings off have hurt us.
“The week before, against Eastbourne, we equalised and we were the team that looked like we were going to win and then Lex gets sent off and they scored from that resulting three-kick. They've not had another shot or goal, even though they've come at us. We should have taken something from the game.
“The week before that, Croydon Athletic, we were 1-0 up for 55 minutes but had a player sent off and we have lost Theo McKenzie for three games.
“The week before that, we were at Steyning and were 1-0 up, but it’s all if buts and maybes. We’d beaten Sheppey on penalties (in the Kent Senior Trophy) and you’re looking and thinking ‘we have made progress’ but we haven’t got the squad at the minute to cope with missing two or three each week, that is where we’re finding ourselves.
“We’re just having to patch up in certain areas and it’s not ideal but I have to keep saying to the team, we have 31 league games left, a long way to go.
“It was only three points (on Saturday) and it’s just the manner of the way we lost which was not very good, it was very disappointing from my perspective and for everyone else in the club.
“We have to dust ourselves off and put it right ASAP.”
