Rochester United shouldn’t be underestimated ahead of their Medway derby against Lordswood.

That’s the verdict of manager Matt Hume as his Southern Counties East Division 1 high-flyers face a Lordswood side from the division above at Martyn Grove this Saturday in the FA Vase first round.

The Spartans have never been past the first round of the competition.

“It’s a free hit for us,” said Hume.

“I know they are a good side, they have a reasonable budget, higher than ours and on paper they should be better than us, but on our day I think we could beat anyone, so it should be a good game.

“They clearly haven’t been firing on all cylinders recently but I know they could still be dangerous. It is whether they underestimate what we could potentially do and whether we can rise to the occasion and perform to the levels that I know we can.

“We had pre-season friendlies against Isthmian League sides - I know friendlies are not always a great indicator - but we performed well against those teams with full sides out and we generally play better against better sides.

“If there’s one thing we are poor at, it is not being consistent against every team we play against, but hopefully we can get a performance this Saturday.”

Hume’s side are one of several clubs competing for the top places in Division 1 of the Southern Counties East Football League, recently beating fellow promotion challengers Faversham Strike Force.

Last weekend they lost 3-0 against Staplehurst Monarchs in the Kent Senior Trophy - a game Hume missed after picking up a sickness bug.

He said: “We had six players out, it was a cup game, I rested a few and we tried a few other things, I know they did the same as well, but we had a really makeshift side on Saturday.

“I was hoping we would do better but apparently we were very poor and we’ll forget about that one.

“Our main thing is the league but I know all the lads are excited about the FA Vase, it’s going to be good.

“It is alright going on a coach and visiting grounds you’ve never been to before but there is more excitement playing a team in a local derby and I know Ray Broad, their chairman, who used to play for us and I see him down the gym. We’ve had a few jokes between us.

“I know they will want to beat us but we’ll try and put in a decent shift.

“We haven't played Lordswood for a few years and it should be an exciting game for us to be involved in.

“I am disappointed with Saturday and how they performed but I don’t know if that was with one eye on the following week and me not being there. We have to do a lot better and I am sure we will. Hopefully we should have a few players available that we didn’t have.”

Hume points to the likes of AFC Whyteleafe - riding high in the Southern Counties Premier Division - and both Larkfield & New Hythe and Snodland Town - who are both competitive at a level above, as sign that those teams in SCEFL Division 1 can compete higher.

The Rochester boss said: “I have been in both and don’t think there is a huge difference between the two leagues, you only need to look at the teams that have gone up from our league and are all doing well.

“It’s a tough league and I think anyone who underestimates us, or the league, can come unstuck. We’ll have to be as professional as we can this Saturday and hopefully catch Lordswood on a bad day and get something out of it.”

Rochester had the likes of Hicham Akhazzan, Luke Mercer, Harrison Hume and Lucas Payne all missing last weekend but some of them will hopefully be back to face Lordswood.

Their weekend hosts were without a game last Saturday and Nicky Southall’s men will be keen to return to form after back-to-back defeats in the league, results that left the manager threatening to make changes in the run-up to the visit of Rochester.