Frustrated head coach Lloyd Blackman may have to cope without some of his key players when Ramsgate visit Cray Wanderers on Wednesday.

High-flying Wands play all their midweek home games on Wednesdays but the rescheduled fixture is proving problematic for members of the Rams squad.

Work commitments could mean they miss a game which would be tough enough for even a full-strength Ramsgate team.

Cray have only lost once all season, conceding just 10 goals in 17 league games.

Blackman said: “Cray are a decent side and their results have proved that. We certainly won’t fear them but we’ll respect them. The simple fact it’s a Wednesday game means players are potentially unavailable. It is frustrating.

“Some people are unable to have an evening off every day of the week. They can’t do it because their jobs and lives dictate they have to work some evenings.

“The fact they’re shuffling it around for Tuesday-Thursday as well as Saturday means there’s a couple of players for who Wednesday is the day they have to work.

“It’s disappointing – not from the players’ point of view, more the league’s point of view. There’s games being played on Monday, games being played on Sunday and this game was a rearranged fixture so it’s not given much time for people to book time off who are public sector workers.

“It does make things a little bit difficult when it’s rearranged and not on a Tuesday. We’ve got a couple of players we hope can get there after work. Fingers crossed they can make it but if not, we’ve got ideal replacements.”

Ramsgate drew 1-1 at Molesey on Saturday when Rory Smith’s 75th-minute strike cancelled out an early goal from Ronald Sobowale.

“I think a draw was probably fair,” Blackman said. “It wasn’t our greatest performance but we were gritty enough to get the result.

“Six weeks ago we would have lost that game and that’s the difference. The players are learning that they’ve got to turn the games when we’re losing 1-0 into draws if things aren’t going well.”

Ramsgate are at home to Herne Bay on Saturday.