We'll make sure we’re ready for the Sevenoaks game because we didn’t have a good performance against them so there’s that added incentive to make sure that we perform, vows Whitstable Town boss Lloyd Blackman

WHITSTABLE TOWN manager Lloyd Blackman says he hasn’t ruled out grabbing a play-off place at the end of the season.

The Oystermen suffered a 3-0 derby day defeat at their bitter-rivals Herne Bay yesterday, which was watched by a crowd of 831 at Winch’s Field.

Herne Bay have climbed up to sixth-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table with 27 points from 16 games, three points adrift of the play-off zone but with a game in hand.

Whitstable Town, meanwhile, remain in eleventh-place in the pecking order with 23 points from their 19 league outings.

Whitstable Town welcome seventh-placed side Sevenoaks Town at The Belmont on Saturday, still smarting from their 4-0 defeat at Greatness Park on the final day of August.

“Well, we played our worst against them earlier on in the season so we did say to the players afterwards and the players’ were trying to remain positive after the defeat at Herne Bay,” said Blackman.

“We’ll bottle up how that feels and make sure we’re ready for the Sevenoaks game because we didn’t have a good performance against them so there’s that added incentive to make sure that we perform.”

Blackman was pleased with his side’s performance against Ben Smith’s Herne Bay yesterday, who were clinical in front of goal when it mattered, while Blackman’s side created more of the chances and failed to take any.

“If the performance levels are what they are in one game, regardless of the game, then we’ll be absolutely fine, we’ll be no problem,” said Blackman.

“It’s just those little things at both ends of the pitch that aren’t quite going our way that are just deciding games at the moment.”

Blackman revealed that his club are not breaking the bank and are living within their means.

“We’re a developing squad and we all know the changes that happened, we all know that and we know the needs of the whole team is completely different so they are still young, they’re hungry and they are developing.

“I’d like to think if we continue what we’re doing then who knows where we’ll end up this season.

“I think our purpose, it’s a long-term project within the club, it’s to make sure we’re sustainable and we’re not going down the route of some other clubs that we end up biting ourselves in the backside.

“The foundations that we’ve set-up over the last six months is promising and positive and if we can continue progressing in the short-term, who knows?

“I’ve said before these games over Christmas will determine whereabouts we’ll be and from a performance level our performances against two sides who are challenging for promotion, Ashford and Herne Bay, we’ve done really well. We just haven’t got the results and that’s the frustrating part and that is the fine margins of being there or not.

“if we were able to convert the chances and defend a little bit better and not give anything silly away, then who knows?”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.club

Whitstable Town  v  Sevenoaks Town
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 4 January 2020
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 4LN