Gary Alexander has warned Ashford not to take struggling Herne Bay lightly in Saturday’s Kent derby at Homelands.

Bay are effectively bottom of Bostik South East having won only once all season and conceded 30 goals at a rate of almost three per game. The only team below them are Thamesmead, who have stopped playing in the league.

Bay have lost five on the spin, while Ashford come into the game buoyed by back-to-back wins at East Grinstead and Greenwich.

But boss Alexander said: “If you drop your standards at this level, you get beat. We’ve seen that.

“We beat Greenwich last Tuesday at their place and they go and smash Faversham 4-1. It’s this league.

“We’re not going to be looking at Herne Bay thinking ‘they’re bottom of the league and they’ve conceded this many goals’ because that’s disrespectful. I’m sure they’ll want to turn the corner as soon as possible, just like we have.

“We’ve seen it, everyone beats everyone, so we have to prepare right for the game, make sure we do our things and that will give us the best opportunity to beat Herne Bay.

“If we don’t, Herne Bay will capitalise.”

Ashford, who didn’t play last weekend, returned to training on Tuesday night.

New signings Mohamed Kamara and Toby Ajala are set to make their home debuts with Ashford knowing another win could lift them into the top half. Alexander said: “Our work-rate in the last two games has been exceptional.

“We weren’t at our best against East Grinstead – we’ve played better this season and lost – but we’re doing the other side of it well at the moment and it’s winning us games so we’ve got to keep doing that and keep believing.

“We’ve got quality players in that dressing-room, we’ll go in there with the right mindset and hopefully, come 5 o’clock on Saturday, we’ve got another three points on the board.”

If so, it would be Ashford’s first home win since August.

Alexander said: “We’ve been playing well without reward but I know what’s in that dressing-room.

“We want to win at home as well as away and make Homelands a fortress. Hopefully, that starts on Saturday but it only will if we prepare right and our mindset’s right and we don’t disrespect Herne Bay.

“They’re going to have individuals with quality, who are capable of winning football matches at this level. It’s only a matter of time before they do so we have to make sure it’s not us who get on the wrong end of a result.”