Steve Watt says Hythe beat Sevenoaks at their own game after proving they can play football.

The Cannons won 1-0 at their Isthmian South East play-off rivals thanks to Frannie Collin’s 86th-minute wonder goal.

Victory moved Watt’s side above Oaks into eighth place, only four points off the play-offs with five games to go.

It was a satisfying victory for the Cannons, who earlier this season were described as a “banana skin” by the Oaks management.

Hythe have proved they are far more than that, despite operating with one of the lowest budgets in the division.

“We gave Sevenoaks too much respect in the first half but in the second half we beat them at their own game,” said boss Watt.

“They moved the ball well, they had great rotation, but they didn’t really create anything clear-cut when they were on top.

“We showed how resilient and difficult to break down we are but, second half, I wanted us to go and play.

“We looked at how they played and we could see they were vulnerable down their left side.

“We drew in the press, played through it and got down both sides and we should have been 2-0 up before we scored.

“Liam Smith’s missed a free header from five yards and Duane Acheampong, who I thought was excellent, has somehow put the ball over the bar from two yards.

“There were some shouts from their dugout in the first half that we can’t play and won’t play and I think we confused them. Those comments made us more determined to show we could play and that’s what won us the game.

“They didn’t know how to stop us once we started passing it.

“We got down their left countless times. That’s where our chances came from and Fran’s scored the goal of the season.

“He scored from 30 yards against Beckenham earlier this season but this was different. It’s more inside-of-the-foot where he’s whipped it across the keeper into the far top corner. It was a strike worthy of winning any game.

“They had chances and they’ve hit the post but, again, we get no credit.

“Their manager (Harry Hudson) said in his interview he’s looking forward to playing Cray Valley, a team that will actually come for a football match, but we actually outplayed Sevenoaks in the second half.

“It hurt them that we beat them, one, because we’re not meant to beat them and, two, we’re not meant to beat them in that way.

“One of their players said to Fran he’s never scored a goal like that in his life.

“Maybe they need to do a bit more research on who they’re playing and mark a little more tightly because Fran’s scored goals like that all his career.”

Hythe’s play-off push continues with a home game against struggling East Grinstead on Saturday (3pm).

The teams only met at the start of March, with the Cannons losing 3-2.

Watt said: “Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, I can’t speak highly enough of the boys. It’s been one of my most enjoyable seasons in football, seeing what this team have done.”