Boss Jamie Coyle admits Whitstable’s players and management staff are still adapting to playing on vastly different pitches on a weekly basis.

The Oystermen were 3-1 winners at Lydd as they claimed their first Southern Counties East Premier Division victory this season last Wednesday.

Of Whitstable’s first four games, two have been on artificial surfaces while the others, including their match at Lydd, have been on challenging grass pitches.

Coyle admitted: “We have found it difficult as coaches this year.

“We go from playing at a perfect facility and on a 3G pitch, which a number of teams have got in this league. Unfortunately, you have got the other side with some of the worst grass pitches around.

“It’s been difficult for the players.

“We literally have had to change our philosophy and the way we want to play to suit the pitches that we’re playing on.

“We have gone from Sutton Athletic, which was a similar pitch to Lydd, to then playing
Sevenoaks on a 3G pitch in the FA Cup, to playing at home, to then going to Lydd.

“It’s tough for the players and it’s tough for the coaching staff.

“As you move up the leagues, it becomes a lot more consistent in terms of the quality of the pitches.

“But this is a league where you go from one week playing on a perfect 3G pitch to, basically, a dust-bowl in a park.

“It really makes it tough for the players to make those in-game decisions and have the understanding of what’s required week-to-week.

“It’s the first time I have coached in a league where you have to have a completely different Plan A and Plan B, depending on where you’re playing.

“It’s a challenge for us as coaches and most definitely a challenge for the players.

“But as the season progresses, they’ll get more and more experienced in what’s required for different games.”

Two-goal Harvey Smith, one a spectacular long-range effort, and fellow frontman Jerson Dos Santos did the damage at The Lindsey Field.

But Coyle reflected: “It wasn’t pleasant on the eye.

“I think it’s one of the most difficult pitches that I’ve seen in my whole career.

“We kind of knew before the match that our game-plan would have to be completely different because, if you try to play on pitches like that, you’re just going to give away opportunities - no matter how good you are on the ball.

“We went with a game-plan.

“It wasn’t pretty or good to watch at all but it got the job done.”

Smith and Dos Santos have started the season well, contributing all-but one of the Oystermen’s eight competitive goals this term.

Coyle said: “Harvey is very much like the old-fashioned No.9.

“He reminds me of Jay May, who I used to play with. You don’t really see those sorts of
centre-forwards any more that are strong with their back to goal.

“But he’s got more to his game than just being a target man.

“He’s technically very gifted and he can finish, as well.

“He’s only just starting his journey and his career, which we’re hoping we can have a huge influence on in terms of developing him and making him better.

“Jerson is only going to help Harvey with his experience.

“They’re two very different No.9s but they work well together and they seem to be forming a good partnership.”

Ahead of a double-header Bank Holiday weekend, teenager Archie Hatcher, who was on trial with Blackburn in the summer, has joined from Dover.

“He’s come in for a one-month loan to kind of add another body into the central midfield area where I’ve always said that we were a little bit short, especially for this weekend when we’ll have two games in quick succession,” said Coyle.

“He’s someone that I have admired for a number of years. I came up against him when he was in the Academy at Dover and he adds a real threat in the final third with his set-piece delivery and his quality, and adds goals to the team, as well.

“He’s one that trained on Tuesday night.”

The Oystermen are at Corinthian-Casuals in the FA Vase first qualifying round this Saturday.

Coyle, who revealed one of his coaches watched Corinthian-Casuals suffer a midweek 1-0 home defeat, said: “It’s going to be a tough game.

“They’re a very mobile side with a lot of power and pace in their team, and they like to play. It’ll be a different challenge.

“Their pitch will be a lot different to last Wednesday night against Lydd. It’ll be a tough game but a good challenge.

“They’re a team that has always been established in the Isthmian League so it’ll be a good challenge.”

Whitstable host Faversham - another side tipped to be in the promotion picture - in the league on Monday.

“It’s come quite early in the season for both teams,” said Coyle. “It’s going to be a good challenge.

“We have seen them a couple of times this year and we know a lot of their players.

“I have played with Frannie Collin and Callum Davies, the centre-half, has gone there so they have got a lot of experience that has gone into the team this year.

“Like us, they’re taking a little bit of time to gel and get the partnerships right. It’ll be a good game.

“Hopefully, we’ll have a big crowd with it being on Bank Holiday Monday and we need to make sure we give a really good account of ourselves in front of our home crowd because, last time we were at home (losing 3-1 against Rusthall), we didn’t do that.”

The winners of the Oystermen’s FA Vase match will earn £550 in prize money.