Whitstable boss Nicky Southall has set his sights on climbing the table while Town’s Ryman League, Division 1 South rivals are in cup action this weekend.

Only three league games will take place on Saturday with many sides in FA Cup first qualifying round action but Town’s early exit to Tunbridge Wells means they can take on early leaders Walton Casuals.

Town could climb as many as nine places and into the top-10 with a win against last season’s basement-boys, who have won six of their first eight games this year.

Southall said: “Obviously you’d like to have cup runs but it provides us with an opportunity to play a league game when others do not.

“For me, having the points on the board is better than playing catch-up but it will not be easy as they have come out of the blocks quickly.

“If we could get a positive result, then it would be back-to-back wins for the first time in a long time. That’s how we’ve got to start making progress.”

Southall hopes Tuesday’s 4-1 success against Ramsgate will prove a catalyst for his side, who had only scored twice in their previous six games.

He said: “It’s been coming for a little while. We’ve created a lot of chances but just had not managed to put the ball in the back of the net. Ramsgate were just unfortunate that they were on the end of it.

“I said to the players if that can’t give you the confidence to kick-on, then nothing will.

“We’re at home to the league leaders, what could be bigger than that?”