Steve Watt hopes Hythe can utilise home advantage when they face Isthmian South East leaders Ramsgate on Saturday.

The Cannons, whose match at home to Herne Bay last night was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, are due to welcome Ben Smith’s much-fancied Rams to Reachfields before another home game against strugglers Erith & Belvedere on Tuesday.

Ramsgate beat Hythe 3-1 at Southwood in November in the league - but Watt’s troops knocked them out of the FA Trophy on their way to the Fourth Round.

Hythe boss Watt recalled: “We played Ramsgate earlier in the season at their place.

“We gave a good account of ourselves - but made a couple of mistakes and were punished for it, and that’s what happens against top sides like Ramsgate.

“I think they will win the league. But we haven’t played Cray Valley yet and they will push them to the wire.

“Ramsgate will know facing us won’t be an easy game. Obviously, coming to our place isn’t an easy place to come and we’ll use that to our advantage.”

Hythe’s Trophy run has left the club - last term’s play-off finalists - well behind on league fixtures.

With the Cannons also still in the Kent Senior Cup and no free midweek in sight, the depth of their squad is set to be tested.

Watt said: “This season it’s going to be tougher than last [to finish in the play-offs]. We have got 21 league games still to play and it’s nearly February.

“That’s such a big ask for the size of squad that we have. We don’t have unlimited resources and unlimited players. We work with a tight squad and it’s going to be tested.

“Come the end of the season, if we don’t reach the play-offs, that’ll be a big factor with the amount of games we have got to play.”

Hythe drew 0-0 at Sevenoaks last weekend - as they got their first clean sheet since New Year’s Day.

They won 2-1 at home to Sittingbourne in the Kent Senior Cup last Tuesday, Kane Phillip and Jake Embery netting.