Hollands & Blair are returning home this month and manager Scott Porter can’t wait.

Blair are looking to open up their new 3G pitch when they host Deal Town on Saturday, February 18 in the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

Porter said: “It has been a frustrating season on and off the pitch.

“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and the new ground looks fantastic.

“It will be a big day. We have seen the pitch, it looks really good, better than anyone expected, the club deserves it, it was happening, then it wasn’t happening, now we can see the rewards.

“We want to get to a cup final (in the Challenge Cup) and finish higher than we did last season, a stepping stone to go back to Hollands & Blair and start afresh with a new ground next season. When you are not on your home ground, with your home comforts, it is difficult.

“We are a very sociable side, I keep everyone together after a game, it is decent at our bar, we miss it, we lose supporters and the social side and it will be good to get back, everyone is buzzing to get back.”

The laying of the pitch was completed last month but installation of more fencing and tidying up the facility needs to be completed before the gates can be opened for first-team matches.

The club had to take down the Laurence Plummer Stand to install the new pitch but are replacing it with a new 200-seater stand.

Fans and companies can sponsor a seat for £50 to help with the cost.

Blair were beaten on Tuesday night in the Kent Senior Trophy after making a return trip to Punjab United.

The original match was abandoned in extra-time with the Gravesend side leading 2-1.

With 105 minutes played the referee felt the freezing pitch was too dangerous to play on any longer.

Blair were on top as they made a return visit with goals from Jack Simon and Kieran Sharp inside 11 minutes but 10-man Punjab halved the deficit soon after and levelled things up late in the game.

As with the abandoned game, Paul Vines scored in extra-time to give Punjab the lead, and this time the match was completed, leaving Blair beaten.

There had been late drama on Saturday as Blair scored a last- minute winner to beat Glebe 2-1 in the Premier Division.

Harry Brown scored his third goal in five days, holding his nerve from the penalty spot in the last minute to clinch the points. It was Brown’s fifth goal of the season.