We know the level of task that we face and we’re going to go down to Whitehawk as underdogs and go and try to cause another upset, says Hythe Town boss Steven Watt

HYTHE TOWN manager Steven Watt says his side are relishing the underdog tag for their Isthmian League South East Division Play-Off Final at Whitehawk on Friday night.

The Cannons beat Sevenoaks Town (1-0), East Grinstead Town (4-0), Burgess Hill Town (4-1), Faversham Town (1-0), VCD Athletic (2-1) and Haywards Heath Town (4-0) to grab fifth-place in the table on 67 points.

Chatham Town claimed automatic promotion by finishing top of the pile on 79 points from 38 games, while Ramsgate (72), Whitehawk (69) and Beckenham Town (68) also joined the Cannons in the play-offs.

Whitehawk beat Beckenham Town 1-0 at The Enclosed Ground in Brighton on Tuesday night, while Watt’s men beat Ramsgate 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra time.

“It’s been a very good season. We set goals in terms of the squad at the start of the season, which was to make play-offs and we managed to achieved that the hard way,” said Watt.

“When we achieved that we had nothing to lose and to get to the Play-Off Final is a fantastic achievement from everyone involved at the club and we’re really pleased with what we’ve done this year but we’ve still got another job to do and we can’t wait for tomorrow night.”

Goalkeeper Steven Phillips was the hero, saving two penalties in the shoot-out as Hythe Town pulled off an upset in Ramsgate.

“It was a tight  game, not a great deal of clear-cut chances. I think we had the best chance of the game which I still scratch my head to figure out how we didn’t score it,” said Watt.

“Ramsgate are a very, very good side, played well and they were on top for not large spells but spells, especially in the first half.

“We were the better side in the second half but extra-time went on and Ramsgate started getting more of a foothold in the game and we tired, like I expected we would.

“But we managed to do what we mange to do, restricted them to little clear cut chances and we made ourselves difficult to beat and in the end we manged to get over the line and that’s what this team has managed to do this year, managed to get jobs done and I’m delighted we did it one more time on Tuesday.”

Reflecting on their penalty success, Watt said: “It’s a great feeling! I’d rather we won in extra time or if we lost, I would much rather Ramsgate won in normal time or extra time.

“It’s a cruel way to lose a game of football and for the season to come to an end.

“Ramsgate is a great football club, the infrastructure they have there and it’s a club ready for the next level and it’s just a shame that it ended that way for them.

“In football there is always going to be a winner or a loser in these types of games.  I was happy we fell that side of it and I’ve been on a losing side on penalties in play-offs myself and the first thing when Steve (Phillips) made the second save I went to see their management team and I went to offer my condolences to their players before I went to see my players.”

The Cannons began their campaign in Brighton, beating AFC Varndeanians 1-0 in The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday 6 August and can end it 265 days later by earning promotion into the Isthmian League Premier Division for the first time.

“We started our campaign in Brighton away in The FA Cup against AFC Varndeanians and now we’re going to end it there,” said Watt.

“It’s going to be a tough game, against a very good side that were trying to win the league themselves.

“It’s no different to what we faced the other night, a very similar atmosphere. They’ve got great fans down there and are a well-supported club so it’s going to be a very tough ask.

“Whitehawk historically are a National South side so that’s the kind of outfit we’re up against – but we can only go down there and worry about ourselves.  If we can give a good account of ourselves on the day, we can be proud of that.”

Shaun Saunders’ side were a threat from corners and free-kicks during their 1-0 win over Beckenham Town on Tuesday night that set up Friday’s winner-takes-all showdown.

The Cannons are also a side that use set-pieces to their advantage with a couple of players launching long throws into opposing penalty boxes.

“It’s a big part of this league, you have to be good defensively and offensively at set-plays. It’s part of the game and it often decides tight games, a set-piece will decide it,” said Watt.

“We were unlucky on Tuesday night. Frannie Collin had a free-kick late on hit the post and could have decided Tuesday night.

“Look, we know their threats and know what they’re good at and we’ll do what we can do nullify that.  Whitehawk are a good outfit, it’s how we restrict them and hopefully we can create chances on the day to take one and win.”

Hythe Town have the players, the heart and desire to pull off another shock result and look forward to a big local derby against Folkestone Invicta in the eighth-tier next season, if they claim the victory.

“I want nothing different to what the players have done all season. I doesn’t change.  The last seven games we’ve played were must-win games of football so there’s no change to us.

“The only difference to this game tomorrow night is the end result of the game is a promotion so that adds pressure.  I want the lads to do what they’ve done all year. If they do that, I’m confident we can have a good result down there.

“Promotion? It will mean everything, especially to the people at that club, the fans and the people who work behind the scenes and work for the club.  What Hythe have been through the last few years, just to be able to give them this, it will be brilliant.

“It’s a tough ask. We know the level of task that we face and we’re going to go down there as underdogs and go and try to cause another upset.

“It’s something the boys have embraced and they’ve been written off all year and it’s something that’s given the team fuel and it’s something we’ve tapped into and psychologically and mentally side of people writing you off and proving people wrong so the boys have brought in to that.

“That’s why nothing changes for us. We’ll turn up and do what we’ve done all season and we hope on the day, that’s enough.”

Whitehawk  v  Hythe Town
Isthmian League South East Division Play-Off Final
Friday 28 April 2023
Kick Off 7:45pm
at The Enclosed Ground, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 5TS