By Alex Hoad

Sheppey face a daunting return to action after more than a month of inactivity with a game of massive significance against Ashford on Saturday.

The Islanders take on the Kent 1 leaders at Stupple Field in a game which will also double-up as a second round Kent Vase tie.

Head coach Peter Olliver said: "There was just no way we were going to be able to get the Vase game in so we’ve agreed to make it a double-header.

"Now it’s all or nothing - winner takes all."

Sheppey suffered a 51-14 league defeat at Ashford’s Kinney’s Field in just their third league game but have won seven in a row in all competitions dating back to the defeat at the end of September.

Olliver (pictured) said: "We have only conceded 89 points this season and 51 of those came against Ashford in that game.

"It wasn’t exactly a fair scoreline either because we were down to 13 for the last 20 minutes with a couple of injuries and we’d used all our subs."

After a break from action of six weeks, enforced by the weather and the Christmas break, Olliver said he was going to find it challenging to select a side for the game.

He said: "We were back to work in training on Tuesday night and were due to go through the game plan last night (Wednesday).

"The hardest thing for me to do is to pick the team. I can’t pick players on form because it’s been so long since we’ve played."