Danny Kedwell says Ashford can’t compete with Ramsgate’s budget after losing midfielder Lee Martin.

Summer signing Martin, 37, rejoined the Rams on Monday, just two months after arriving at Homelands.

The sides meet at Southwood in an Isthmian South East Kent derby on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

“What can you do?” said boss Kedwell, whose side must first travel to Deal in the FA Trophy first qualifying round on Saturday (3pm).

“That’s what happens in these leagues, you lose your best players because it’s rare anyone’s on contract.

“It’s more local for him and I think they’ve offered him some work as well.

“There’s nothing you can do about it.

“Ramsgate put a seven-dayer in last weekend.

“I spoke to Lee and he said he was happy and then you get the call saying ‘I’m going to go’ and that was it.

“There’s no bad blood. It’s football and I get it, I really do.

“He’s at an age where he’s got to think about his future.

“Football’s a short career, that money’s not going to be there forever and he’s thinking about life after football.

“Everyone has to do that at some point.

“I had an inkling he might go back when Ben (Smith) went back in as manager because they’re mates as well.

“With the budget they’ve got and the money they offer, you can’t compete with that.

“They aren’t the only team to come in for our players.

“There’s been a few in the last week or two but they’ve all chosen to stay, so I must be doing something right.”

Martin, whose former clubs include Manchester United and Ipswich, impressed in his short spell with Ashford.

Kedwell is now working on a replacement.

“He’s a good player,” said the Nuts & Bolts boss.

“I got him in because of the style I want to play and his experience.

“He’s good in the changing room, he’s going to be a miss.

“We’ve just got to move on and try and some players in.

“I’m always talking to players but, to be honest, it’s hard at this time of year trying to people in.

“With all the FA Cup and FA Trophy games all at once, you’re getting a lot of people cup-tied.

“I don’t want to rush things, I want the right people.

“We’ve got enough at the minute and we’ve always got me and Dean (Beckwith, assistant manager) who can get involved until we find the right ones.

“I don’t want to get people in for the sake of it.”

Gary Lockyer scored four times as Ashford thumped Three Bridges 6-1 in the FA Cup first qualifying round on Saturday.

He has eight goals in the competition already, putting him well on track to collect the Golden Ball at Wembley next year.

Jack Saunders and Craig Stone also struck in a big win, with Ashford drawn at home to Corinthian in the second qualifying round on September 14.

“We started the game very well,” said Kedwell.

“It was us, how I want us to play, how I want the tempo to be, the press, everything.

“When you come in 3-0 up at half-time, sometimes you can take your foot off the gas but the boys didn’t do that.

“Three Bridges had nothing to lose and came at us, and we did them on the break. It was a great all-round performance.”

Kedwell brought Lockyer back to Ashford in the summer following spells at Faversham and Cray last season.

The striker has made a huge impact.

“I knew he was a handful from playing against him and watching him play through the years,” said Kedwell.

“He might not be in the game for 10 or 15 minutes but give him a chance and he’ll put it away.

“He’s done that so many times already this season.

“Everything he hit on Saturday went in - that’s what Gary Lockyer does.”