The FA Cup draw has thrown up a hotly-anticipated match for Whitstable.

Isthmian South East side Sevenoaks have been paired at home to Southern Counties East Premier Division Whitstable as new Oaks boss Marcel Nimani’s first game in charge comes against the club he only left in April.

It will also be just the second game at the helm for new Whitstable manager Jamie Coyle, whose side get their league campaign under way seven days earlier on Saturday, July 27.

“It’s always going to be a funny one,” admitted Coyle. “It’s going to be a really good test for us.

“Ideally, you want to get a draw against someone from your level or below at any stage in a competition.

"But we have put a squad together to try and aspire to be in that league.

"It’s going to be a good test and we’re really looking forward to it.”

The Extra Preliminary Round tie will also see several players come up against their old clubs with Sevenoaks’ Jordan Perrin and Dan Colmer, now at Whitstable, likely to start between the sticks against the teams where they ended last term.

Coyle, whose team will earn £1,125 in prize money and a home match against Isthmian South Central Leatherhead in the next round if they progress, said: “There’s a few ex-Whitstable players that Marcel has signed.

“Testing yourself against a team from a higher league is always exciting.

"We will get them watched towards the back-end of pre-season and try to get through to the next round.”

The Oystermen’s pre-season preparations are well and truly under way, losing 3-0 at Isthmian South East Margate last weekend.

“In spells, we did really well in terms of keeping the ball,” said Coyle. “The scoreline and result doesn’t really show that.

“Watching it back, there were some good parts to it and there were some improvements, which we were looking for from the Deal game.

“I was disappointed about the side that you don’t talk about too much, in terms of the physical side and picking up second balls. That side was disappointing.

“We conceded three really poor goals through some individual errors. But if we can see some small improvements throughout the pre-season, we should be in a good place.

“It was a step up in class but, in spells of the game, we were very good.

“But you cannot give away three goals like that at any level. We missed a penalty, missed a one-on-one and we were a threat at times at the other end.

“It’s just the other side of it, where we were a little bit poor.”

Whitstable also lost 4-0 at home to ambitious Isthmian Premier side Folkestone on Tuesday.

Coyle has formerly been player-boss at Dartford and Welling but, with the start of Whitstable’s league season just weeks away, he’s had to approach things differently this time around.

He said: “It’s been a completely different mentality this pre-season.

"Usually, you have an XI at the start of a game, then a completely different XI in the second half.

“But we need to make sure that - by the end of July - there’s those relationships in the team and also people have a really good understanding of each other.

"We will not get that doing 45 minutes with the team.

“That’s why we’re not carrying trialists, really.

“We have got to make sure we have a really good understanding of each other and have been able to implement the way we want to play by then.”

Coyle is optimistic a good crowd will head to The Belmont as Whitstable host a Gillingham XI this Saturday.

“I know (Academy boss) Bryan Bull really well,” said Coyle, whose team are at home to Dover next Tuesday. “He’s a good friend.

“He’s someone I have stayed in contact with - whether that’s while I was at Dartford or at Welling. We have got a really good relationship.

“We’re going to be playing against full-time pros - whether that’s first-team fringe players, first-team players or youth-team players.

“It’s a good opportunity for our boys to pit themselves against full-time professionals.

“Hopefully, it will bring a good few spectators down on Saturday. It will be the first time we will have the full team back ready from holidays and injuries, as well.

"That’s exciting.”

Whitstable were handed a tie at Corinthian-Casuals on Saturday, August 24, in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round.

The winners will earn £550 in prize money and book a home clash against Hollands & Blair or AFC Varndenians.