A target for the number of matches Margate recruits Daniel Duncanson and Skye Salmon should aim to play this season has been set by boss Reece Prestedge.

Both prospects have featured throughout the summer as trialists for the Hartsdown Park outfit.

Salmon played for Billericay under-23s while Duncanson was part of Horley Town’s squad last season and, before that, he was involved in the Chatham Town Academy.

Prestedge said: “They’ve come in as young-ish players. We need squad players and players, when needed to be called upon, they can do a job, no problem.

“They’ve both done very well.

“For them, they will need to look at playing 15 or 20 games in a season, with cup games and everything else. I think they’re more than capable of doing it.

“Skye is quite a comfortable centre-back on the ball but puts his foot in when it’s needed.

“Daniel is technically very good. He has that energy and desire.”

With their arrivals revealed last Friday, and that of ex-Ebbsfleet midfielder Leo Mazzone earlier this month, Prestedge is now happy with the squad he has assembled.

He said: “We’re pretty much done. We have got the players we sort of need in and around the squad.

“We’re in a good place.”

One-time Arsenal, Falkirk, Dartford and Welling frontman Phil Roberts, now player-coach with Gate, netted in their weekend 2-1 friendly defeat at home to Sittingbourne, having also struck in a 2-0 win over Dartford last Tuesday.

“We know what Robbo can bring to us,” Prestedge noted.

“Last year, he was playing up top, which is not his natural position, even though he can do it. But the No.10 role, really, is more natural for him.

“It will be nice to see him and Steve [Cawley] link up.”

Gate player-assistant Ben Greenhalgh - facing the club where he works as Academy boss - was on target, too, as they brushed aside Alan Dowson’s troops.

Prestedge said: “It was a very good result.

“That’s why Sittingbourne was a very good game to have after, just to see the two different tests we got.”

They continued their pre-season with a 3-2 comeback victory at Southern Counties East Premier Division Corinthian on Tuesday.

Greenhalgh claimed three assists, two for Steve Cawley and one for skipper Sam Blackman. Duncanson was again among their starting line-up in midweek.

Defending champions Margate have been drawn away to last term’s Isthmian South East Play-off Finalists Hythe, who are managed by Steve Watt, in the First Round of the Kent Senior Cup.

Prestedge said: “We know Watty. It’s going to be a big test for us.

“These cup games, we will take seriously. We, obviously, want to defend what we have.”

That tie is to be played by the end of September, with the victors at home to Sittingbourne or Ashford.

Margate are away to National League South Tonbridge this Saturday.