Sittingbourne caretaker-manager Aslan Odev says defender Sal Kisitu would have been silly to reject Hythe.

Full-back Kisitu has left Bourne for Reachfields after their Kent rivals made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Odev said: “Sal’s left for financial reasons. He spoke to me honestly and asked for my blessing, which I gave.

“I said we couldn’t match what Hythe were offering and he said if wasn’t for that he would have stayed.

“It’s such a big leap in money it would have been silly not to take it.”

Odev lost his first game in charge with Sittingbourne beaten 2-1 by East Grinstead in injury time at the weekend.

The late goal was a blow but he won’t dwell on it.

He said: “I don’t want to concentrate too much on that because we should have put the game to bed, so it’s about making sure we do that. The first half was good, we just need to be more ruthless in front of goal.”

Brickies, 16th in Bostik South, go to third-placed Corinthian Casuals on Saturday.

Chris Elliott is back from a ban but Dan Parkinson and Kane Phillip are still suspended while John Coker remains injured.

Odev is enjoying his first taste of management and will come up with a plan to stop a Casuals side who are only two points off the top.

He said: “I loved being the manager on Saturday. It was good and the players responded well. I’ve got a good team behind me, which makes it easier.

“We’ll prepare for Corinthian Casuals at training. I have an idea of the game plan I want us to execute. We’ve played them before and know what they’re about.”