Hythe boss Sam Denly admits the sheer weight of Kent derbies in Bostik South East has made life difficult for managers this season.

The division is dominated by teams from the county and 18 of the Cannons’ 34 league matches so far have been derbies.

It’s a theme which continues to the very end of the campaign with Hythe away to Whitstable on Easter Monday and at home to champions Cray Wanderers on April 27.

Denly said: “It’s been difficult. It’s hard for us teams down in this area because we’ve got a lot of derbies.

“Hastings and a few of the other teams don’t have so many games like that but almost every other game’s a derby for us.

“It makes it exciting and it makes for some good games but it’s difficult because teams raise their game in derbies and form can sometimes go out of the window.

“It makes it slightly harder but we’re all in the same boat.

“You’ve got to move on and not moan about it.

“It can be quite enjoyable and it makes for good games for the neutrals.”

Hythe’s faint play-off hopes were finally snuffed out last weekend and they don’t have a game on Saturday.

It’s off to the Belmont on Monday to face a rejuventated Whitstable side whose relegation fears have long since disappeared.

Denly said: “They’ve signed some good players and they’ve been on a great run, had another great win on Saturday (when they beat Phoenix 2-1).

“It’s another derby and there’s history.

“I captained Whitstable, Gavin (Theze) played at Whitstable, Steve Nolan managed Whitstable for a short period and obviously Scott Porter managed at Hythe.

“There’s going to be a lot on the game and it’s another derby, which we’ve had a lot of this year, so it’ll be anything but quiet.

“They’re going well but so are we now.

“We’ve been playing some good stuff lately so it’s a game we can look forward to.”

Denly faces a dilemma whether or not to give his fringe players extended game time in what are now two dead rubbers.

“It’s a good question,” he said. “We’ve been going full strength and in the last couple of games we’ve been very good.

“We want to finish the season strongly, we want to be competing until the very end of what’s been a difficult season.”