Jim Ward will warn his Whitstable Town players to expect a physical battle when they travel to high-flying Merstham on Saturday.

The Oystermen’s joint manager watched second-placed Merstham snatch a 1-1 draw at Herne Bay on Tuesday night despite having two players sent off – the first after just 10 minutes – and said: “Merstham tried to bully Herne Bay and it worked up to a point as they got something out of the game despite playing with 10 men for most of the game.

“We’ll have to be at our best on Saturday because it’s a tough place to go.”

The Surrey side are managed by Hayden Bird, one of the most experienced managers in the league and Ward believes it’s no coincidence that three of the four teams who are leading the way in Ryman League, Division 1 South, have all got long-serving managers.

He said: “I sometimes think managers at this level don’t get enough credit. Look at the teams who are doing well this season, you’ve got Ray Turner at Faversham, Neil Cugley at Folkestone and Hayden Bird at Merstham."

Ollie Gray (hamstring) is a doubt for Saturday after going off in last Saturday's 1-0 home win against Hastings.

Whitstable will definitely be without another of their young defenders, Aaron James, who along with Rene Rivera will be playing for Kent Schools Under-18s against Lancashire in the last 16 of the English Schools’ Under-18 National Trophy.