Sheppey boss Ernie Batten shed a tear when they ripped up the grass at Holm Park but believes 3G pitches are a no-brainer in non-league football.

The Ites have endured a frustrating few weeks as just one game in the last four has beaten the weather - with away trips to Burgess Hill, Horndean and Beckenham all postponed because of waterlogged pitches.

There’s no such issue at Sheppey on their artificial surface, which makes life a lot easier, knowing fixtures are unlikely to be postponed. They return to Isthmian South East action at home to Sevenoaks Town on Saturday.

Batten said: “It is pretty much guaranteed (that the game will be on) and it’s fantastic to have that because you can plan everything and you know it’s going to be on and the club can plan as well.

“We know what staff we need, what we need on the bar and for the food. For a non-league club, if it’s affordable, to have one installed it is a no-brainer.

“Burgess Hill on Saturday, they had a lot of plans, advertising the game quite heavily and putting on entertainment. They were quite desperate to get the game on, but it was scuppered by the weather.

“We’ve not got TV revenue coming in, a lot of top-level clubs aren’t reliant on gates, but for non-league clubs, it’s all about gates and commercial activity and trying to enhance the revenue as best you can.

“More and more clubs are having the pitches installed but of course they are £500,000-£600,000 and that money needs to be raised before you can attempt it.

“To rip our grass pitch up was quite tearful but I don’t think we’ve looked back since and our gate against Merstham (on February 24) was nearly 700.

“Matt (Longhurst, the director of football) has come in and tried to follow the Ramsgate model and they are commanding over 1,000 each game now, a lot of that is through the schools and community.

“We have been getting into schools and we’ve set up a younger academy for 6-7 year-olds and we’re getting lots of kids along, we’re handing out tickets and they will bring a parent. They will buy a burger and a pint and we have sold lots of hats and scarves and that incentive to come, some of them will stick even when they have to pay!

“I think it’s marvellous to jump those numbers up. We would have probably had 350 for that game and we just about doubled it and we’re hoping to push on again this week and increase again.”

Batten’s men were beaten 1-0 by Merstham last time out and he’ll be hoping they can return to form against Sevenoaks. Sheppey have games in hand over the teams above them in the battle to make the play-offs but need points on the board.

The Ites have played friendly matches against Lordswood and Folkestone to keep the players ticking over.

He said: “There are five or six clubs in with a shout, it’s all going to come down to results over the next few weeks and who takes the opportunity, games are coming thick and fast, we’ve got eight games now between this one and early April.

“The strength of the squad and a little bit of luck with injuries makes a difference and it’s exciting, what the play-offs have brought into the game is marvellous and without them it would be pretty much tied up by now, the rest would be dead rubbers.

“I felt we were on a little bit of a roll before the Merstham game and that was a little bit of a set-back but the players are fit and well rested and ready to go for Saturday.”