The manager said: “We have one eye on the future, looking at minutes and the risk factor and taking care of everyone while at the same time trying to be competitive and trying to stay in good form.

“As everyone knows, when you haven’t got a big squad you have to look after your players and that’s what we’ll be doing but ultimately we still have to stay competitive.

“We would be foolish not to plan ahead and we are but we do want to win and be competitive, and we will be.

“We are in a good place, it is not just the results at the minute, we have a few things to juggle and manage but we will be ready for when the time is right.”

Commenting on the squad, he added: “We have a few knocks and niggles and we took Chris Arthur off on Saturday, more as a precaution, a little bit of a muscle strain.

“It is about looking after their minutes and making sure they don’t overdo it and we lose them for a few weeks because we don’t have the time left for them to recover. They will be fine for when it matters.”

Arthur wasn’t in the squad on Tuesday night.

The Brickies boss has continued to reward those fans who travel with money behind the bar for drinks and supporters have been showing up in good numbers at home too. Weekend visitors Lancing will be heading to Sittingbourne with hopes of getting among the play-offs places.

“The fans are repaying us,” said the manager. “They are there every week now and we’ve got above that 300 mark, when it was just 125 when I came in so I am pleased.”