Whitstable Town manager Jamie Coyle senses shift in mentality in latter stages of pre-season ahead of season-opener at Sutton Athletic

Boss Jamie Coyle has sensed a mentality shift from Whitstable in the latter stages of pre-season - ahead of the start of the real action.

Coyle’s Oystermen begin their Southern Counties East Premier Division season at Sutton Athletic this Saturday.

It will be a first competitive game at the Whitstable helm for Coyle and No.2 Matt Longhurst, who arrived in late April as part of the club’s new management team alongside goalkeeping coach Dan Eason.

They drew 1-1 at Combined Counties Premier Division South side Redhill last weekend, having been held to a 2-2 stalemate at home to Isthmian Premier team Dover last Tuesday when Bobby Dunn and Michael West struck while attacking midfielder Josh Oliver failed to convert a penalty.

Coyle said: “There’s been a real shift with the mentality.

“Against Dover, at times, we felt the players were going through the motions in terms of trying to not get injured and not putting in their all.

"But we said to the players that you cannot just turn it on and turn it off. We were physical against Dover.

“Even (Whites manager) Jake Leberl said in his interview after the game, we looked like we wanted it more in the end.

"Mentality-wise, we now look like we have got the bit between our teeth a bit more. There’s only 16 places up for grabs on Saturday.

"We can make five substitutions in this league, which is really positive. I’ve never come across that before as a manager or a coach.

“That really allows everyone to put everything on the line. There’s only going to be 11 starters and five on the bench - and we have a big squad.

“We’ll just have to see how this week goes.

“We will then put our heads together, pick our squad and, hopefully, get off to a good start.”

With the big kick-off at Sutton Athletic just days away, Whitstable have opted against one final midweek friendly and, instead, have been fine-tuning things on the training ground.

Asked if he knew yet what his starting line-up would be on Lower Road, Hextable, Coyle said: “It’s a difficult one.

“We have two more training sessions - on Tuesday and Thursday - in preparation for the game on Saturday. We have got a lot to work on.

“With a new squad, we have got to continue to improve but, at the same time, we need to pick up points. We have new combinations and we have got new players in who have gelled together during pre-season.

“We have played against a lot of sides above us in league status and that’s forced us to look at a number of partnerships and new formations.

“We have got some headaches, which is what we want. I said at the start of the pre-season that we wanted headaches come the first game of the season.

“We have a few injuries, as well, which has allowed us to look at some of the under-23s players.

"We’re just looking forward to a three-point game.”

A pre-season-ending trip to Redhill provided perfect preparation for playing on Sutton Athletic’s grass surface.

Coyle reflected: “It was a really worthwhile activity.

“We controlled possession in the early parts of the game, which forced them into changing their shape. Then, they had a little spell in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

“We brought on some youngsters in the second half.

“They acquitted themselves really well. It gives us a headache, which is what you want.

“We have tried a number of different partnerships and we’re in a good place.”

While Whitstable will, at least, harbour ambitions of a top-five finish, as they look to improve on last term’s sixth-placed finish, Ryan Huckle’s Sutton Athletic side will be desperate to move away from relegation trouble after they came second-bottom.

“It’s going to be a very similar pitch to Redhill," said Coyle. "It’s going to be a battle.

“I played there towards the back-end of last year when I was at Glebe. Ryan has got them organised.

"They’re going to be a tough nut to crack.”

Whitstable have been drawn away to Division 1 Canterbury City in the Kent Senior Trophy first round.