Striker Mike Salako is an even better player now than he was last season, Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell has warned.

Salako netted 27 goals for the Isthmian South East side after joining last September and turned down higher-division interest in the summer to extend his Winch’s Field stay.

He has wasted little time getting on the goal trail once again, making it three goals in three games as Bay saw off Rayners Lane 2-1 in their FA Cup preliminary round replay on Tuesday.

Lovell said: “That’s Mike for you. He deserves it because he works so hard during the games.

“From last year to this year, I already can see an improvement in his game - not just with his goalscoring but with what he brings to the team.

“His hold-up play has got a lot better. He’s massive for us.

“He has scored in every game so far which shows he’s starting from where he left off last year.”

Salako put Herne Bay ahead at Rayners Lane and midfielder Kane Haysman doubled their tally shortly after the restart to leave the hosts’ second-half penalty a mere consolation.

“It was a very good performance on Tuesday night because they’re a good side,” reflected Lovell. “I think they will do well in their league this year.

“They’re very good going forward although, in saying that, they didn’t have many shots on goal on Tuesday. Their attacking play is excellent but I felt we defended it very well.

“We could have scored two or three more goals as well, so I was pleased with the performance, as well as the result.

“Over the two games, I thought we deserved it.”

Bay’s reward is an FA Cup first qualifying round trip to Isthmian South Central Ashford Town (Middlesex) on Saturday, August 31 - not that Lovell will focus too much on analysing them - after they nearly got caught out by changes Rayners Lane made in the initial tie last weekend.

“It’s funny because we did a massive amount of research on Rayners Lane,” said Lovell, whose side found themselves 2-0 down before Salako and substitute Monty Saunders netted in a 2-2 draw.

“Come Saturday, they had made four changes from the team when we had someone go and watch them for us!

“It just shows that you can watch teams play, especially at this level but, when you don’t really know the individuals, it’s quite difficult. You end up picking up the team sheet and saying ‘He’s changed, he’s changed. Who’s he?!’.

“When I was at Gillingham, it was quite easy. You knew who teams were bringing in and you knew everything about the players in terms of what his strengths and weaknesses were. But at this level, you don’t really know much about the boys.

“That’s what makes it so interesting as a manager. You have to work out in the first 10 or 15 minutes what the new players coming into the opposition will offer and try to adapt to it.

“That’s what happened on Saturday. They caught us out a little bit and took a two-goal lead but, then, I changed it.

“I changed the formation and changed the personnel to counteract what they had done and it worked.”

Former Gillingham and Margate midfielder Haysman starred in midweek as the 28-year-old earned praise from Lovell.

“Kane was brilliant,” he enthused. “I thought he was our man-of-the-match on Tuesday night.

“He got his goal but it’s just more about what he brings to the team. He’s very intelligent.

“He works hard and is a good player. He could have had another one - and set up another one - he was excellent.”

Bay have a fixture-free Saturday when, instead, they’ll train before their derby trip to Margate on Bank Holiday Monday.

Lovell said: “It’s going to be a good game. There will be a good atmosphere.

“They came down last year so they will be determined to go straight back up and I should think that they’ll be one of the favourites.

“It’ll be a tough game but we really look forward to playing in these games.

“There will be quite a few in the Kent area this year.”