Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb believes it will be difficult to have a long run in the FA Trophy this season.

But that doesn’t mean the Fleet boss is not aiming to progress when they host Eastbourne in the Second Round on Saturday.

With promotion from National League South Kutrieb’s number one priority this term, an ongoing FA Cup run - which has already seen the Fleet reach the Second Round for the first time in 19 years - has seen them fall behind in their league programme.

Further interest in the FA Trophy could hamper those league ambitions in the new year.

Kutrieb will also use the match to give some of his squad players, who have been injured in recent weeks, much-needed game time.

“You can’t be successful in three competitions, that’s not possible,” stated Kutrieb.

“You need to get the bodies right in each game. We will use this game for players that are coming back from injury and they are potential starters anyway.

“It’s good for me, it’s important to win games and I still think we can win this game but my priority from the first day, and it will be to the last day, is the league.

“It’s good timing for us. We can freshen up a few things that we need to do, the boys have played the last six or seven games and mentally it drains you a lot to play every three or four days.

“That’s not just us, the Premier League will tell you the same, in every league it’s not easy to bring always a good performance on the pitch.”

Christian N’Guessan, Josh Wright, Alex Finney, Joe Martin and keeper Chris Haigh are all among those sidelined in recent weeks while it’s an opportunity to give the likes of Elliott Romain and Shaq Coulthirst more minutes.

Saturday's game has an earlier start time than usual, with a 2pm kick-off at Stonebridge Road.