Skipper Richie Hamill thinks Jacob Lambert is starting to come into his own for Sheppey.

Attacking midfielder Lambert is level on six goals with striker Dan Bradshaw, who netted for The Ites on his return from injury in Saturday’s 1-1 FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round draw at Isthmian Premier Billericay, this season.

Lambert signed for Sheppey in the summer of 2022 from Crowborough Athletic - but struggled to settle straight away. The former Tonbridge Angels Academy product seems to have found his feet now, though.

Hamill said: “Last season, he had a few injuries and went back on loan to Crowborough to try and get that fitness and confidence back.

“He is a confidence player. He’s started to score a few goals and come into his own.

“Hopefully, that continues.”

While Sheppey usually deploy a lone striker, Lambert tends to play ahead of Hamill in midfield, supporting the frontman alongside their wingers.

He explained: “We play almost two holding midfielders so we let Jacob Lambert join in, in behind, and get the wide players coming in off the flanks. They help out, as well.

“The system we play, we’ve played for the five or six years that I’ve been at the club. I know it very well and a lot of the players have bought into it.

“So, it works well for us.”

Hamill had mixed emotions after their FA Cup draw at Billericay.

He said: “That probably would have been the ticket at the start of the day. But we’re a bit disappointed after the game, to be honest.

“It was end-to-end, really, but we’re happy to have another chance to get into the First Round.”

Sheppey will have to monitor the fitness of Bradshaw ahead of their Holm Park replay tomorrow (Tuesday) night after he came off in the second half. The victors will be at home to League 2 Walsall.

With boss Ernie Batten’s side still having played only three Isthmian South East fixtures to date this term, strength-in-depth will be vital in their squad.

“We’ve got a young squad,” Hamill said. “But with the players we do have coming off the bench, they don’t necessarily make us weaker, really.

“I don’t know whether we’ll change it again on Tuesday - Bradshaw is struggling a little bit - so we might have to change it up top. But I think we’ll be much the same.

“We have got options off the bench and pace in wide areas so, hopefully, we have got the players to hurt them.”